


Chasing Your Shadow

by Dean-Bangs-Cas-In-The-Impala (Maknatuna)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: A warning for partial non-con in chapter 3 and 11, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Bottom Castiel, Demon Dean, Don't worry Dean will bottom too in later chapters, Drama, Human Castiel, M/M, Romance, Time Travel, Top Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-25
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2017-12-12 22:51:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 42
Words: 88,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/816988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maknatuna/pseuds/Dean-Bangs-Cas-In-The-Impala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prophecy says that when Castiel turns twenty-three winters old, a stranger will come into his life and bring a lot of suffering. But do prophecies always come true?  Demon Dean/human Castiel AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you goes to bethanyyerinn and Zana Zira for beta reading the story. 
> 
> Cover art is done by my friend Nino Zukhbaia (inanna1981.tumblr.com).

                                                            

**_"You were born together,_ **

**_And together you shall be forevermore._ **

**_You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days._ **

**_But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you…"_ **

**_(Kahlil Gibran)_ **

****

Somewhere in the North, Year 752, Day 25 of the Severe Frost Month…

Outside the wind bellows wrathfully and flicks the snowflakes into whirlwinds of ice. Dogs bark somewhere in the distance. Even the oldest villager cannot recall such a bitter and snowy winter. The trees double over from the snow's weight; some of them have already lost branches to it. Nature has fallen into a stupor as the raging elements wrap it in a white blanket.

The room is lit up by a fire in a fireplace and an oil lamp on a wooden table. There's not much furniture in the room, but the place looks neat and tidy, thanks to the mistress of this house – Brita, who currently suffers from the pains of childbirth. Her husband Aggi is gone to bring a midwife.

Brita lies in a bed, under bear skin covers and cries out when the pain gets too much. On the edge of the bed her first born child, Dagni, ten winters old, sits. The child wipes the sweat off her mother's forehead.

"I cannot hold on anymore. Where are they? Gods, give me strength," Brita moans and her fingers dig into the animal skin.

"I am sure they will be here in any minute. Father left a long time ago," Dagni answers calmly. She has seen many times how cows, sheep, and other animals give birth and thus has some knowledge about the process.

She has barely finished talking when the door opens and the wind almost puts out the light. A tall, broad-shouldered man walks in with a tiny, slim woman.

"Aggi," Brita groans and looks at her husband pleadingly.

The man takes his fur coat off and throws it at the table. He walks to the bed towards his beloved wife.

“Have no fear. All will be well. I have brought Tilda." He soothes the woman and caresses her hair.

Tilda shakes the snow off of her shoulders and looks at Dagni. "I will need hot water and clean cloths. Is everything ready?" Her voice is raspy.

"Yes. I have prepared everything," the child answers seriously.

"Good." The midwife smiles and squeezes the girl's shoulder.

"Hold on, it will be over soon," Tilda tells Brita.

"I am trying." Brita's smile is crooked and pained. In another instant a scream escapes her throat.

The midwife detaches a small bag from her woven belt and opens it. Strange and unfamiliar words start to pour from her mouth as she spreads a blue powder in all four directions and above the bed.

"Aggi, take Dagni with you and go. It seems that the situation… is more complicated than we thought," Tilda says after some hesitation.

"Come here, my lovely," Aggi says tenderly and opens his arms.

Dagni walks to her father with a questioning look on her face. "Father, will mother be well?" There is obvious fear in her voice.

"Do not worry, Tilda is here so nothing bad will happen." Aggi kisses her forehead. "Put this on and let's go outside. Let's see Ulrika."

"Yes, yes I want to see her." Dagni grabs her little fur coat, ready to run outside.

"Hold on a moment." Aggi bends down to kiss his wife. He picks his daughter up and walks out to the stable to see the newborn foal and its mother Ulrika.

* * *

 

The only sounds that they hear for three hours, even from outside, are Brita's screams and chanting that gets louder as time passes.

Aggi sits on a pile of straw with sleeping Dagni in his lap. There is a white horse beside them that chews lazily. Next to her the little foal lies, nudging its mother's udder from time to time and suckling energetically.  
The man stares at the moon that peeks into the stable through a cleft in the door and prays to all the gods to protect his wife and the child who is about to arrive into this world.

The sky has turned grey, the sign of approaching dawn, when a sharp squeal sounds from the house.

"Dagni, wake up." The man gingerly shakes his daughter.

"What? Is the baby born?" the little girl asks drowsily.

"Yes. Your sister or brother is born. Come." Aggi helps her to her feet and they walk towards the house.

The first thing he notices is a small, shrieking bundle that his wife holds.

"It's a boy," Tilda smiles and taps Aggi's shoulder. "I know deep down in your heart you wanted a boy and for being a good man the gods have granted you your wish."

The midwife leans towards Brita. "Dear, let me see the child to examine him and then I will try to foresee his future."

The newborn baby squirms and whines in the woman's arms. Tilda lays him on the table and unwraps the cloths. As soon as the baby feels freedom he kicks his tiny feet.

"Ha, I can tell you he will be a restless child," Tilda laughs as the baby kicks her in the thigh.

Aggi leans towards his son and his beard tickles the baby's nose. Instantly little hands grab it.

"Add curiosity to the list." Laughter rumbles in the man's chest.

The midwife nods her agreement. "The boy is very healthy and strong." Tilda goes on as she examines the flailing baby. It seems that the boy does not mind being touched, lifted, or turned over, and he makes some happy noises.

"Hold on, what is this?" Tilda suddenly stops and stares at the baby.

"What happened?" Brita asks, frightened, and sits up in her bed to hear better what the midwife has to say.

"Bring a light over here," Tilda tells Aggi as she touches the baby's leg.

Aggi holds the oil lamp above the boy and tries to control his shaking voice. "What did you see? Is there something wrong with my boy?"

After a torturing silence Tilda asks the man to put the lamp down. "Your boy is marked. But I cannot tell you yet if it is a good or a bad sign. Do you see this mark?" Tilda turns to Aggi and points her finger at the baby's leg.

"Yes, I see it." The man's voice breaks as he stares at a small, black mark on his boy's left thigh.

Brita starts to weep bitterly and she hides her face in her hands. "My poor child, my poor boy. I do not want anything bad to happen to him!" Her voice is desperate.

"Maybe this is nothing bad. You need to stay calm, or your milk might dry up. Feed the boy." The midwife wraps the baby in cloths and takes him to his mother.

"Let's wait till she falls asleep to look into his future. I do not want her to get more anxious if I see something bad," Tilda whispers to the man.

"You are right." Aggi glances at his wife, who is feeding and caressing their newborn son.

Tilda pours water into a clay bowl, detaches another small bag, and takes out some dry herbs to add them to the water. "Here, drink this. It will make your milk even richer and the boy will gain weight quickly. Also, it will help you relax." The midwife hands the bowl to Brita as soon as she finishes feeding the baby.

"It tastes nice." Brita finishes drinking. "Thank you."

Dagni, who has been sitting in the corner the whole time, gets up and walks to her mother's bed. "He is so small. Was I this small too?" she asks and plays with her brother's nose.

"Yes. And you were shrieking worse," Aggi laughs. He takes the bowl from his wife. "Go to sleep. You need to rest." He kisses Brita and puts the baby into a basket that stands near the bed.

"Have you thought about a name?" Tilda asks the parents.

"Yes. We want to name him Castiel." Aggi looks down at the baby, who is already asleep.

The man takes a seat beside Tilda, who sips ale with a thoughtful face. Aggi takes another mug and pours some drink for himself.

"You know that I have no right to tell you a lie or hide something," Tilda whispers and scrapes her nails against the table surface. She gets a nod for a reply. "You also know, that my prophecies always come true. Are you ready to hear about your boy's future?"

Aggi looks at Brita, who has fallen asleep thanks to the midwife's herbs. He nods at the witch. "Yes, I am ready."

Tilda opens a red bag and Aggi thinks how many of them she carries with her. The witch closes her eyes and mutters some words. She puts her hand inside the bag and pulls something out. Her hand draws odd signs in the air, and then she unclenches her fist. Various colored stones scatter on the table. Each of them has a different symbol engraved on it.

Aggi holds his breath at the sight before his eyes. Then he recalls that his daughter is in the room too. But when he turns around to check on her, Dagni is asleep in her bed.

Tilda's brows furrow as she looks down at the stones and their arrangement. Aggi's heart starts to beat faster when he notices sweat forming above the woman's brows. The witch looks like she has turned into a stone.

"In the name of the gods, what do you see?" Aggi rasps and prepares himself to hear something sinister.

Tilda rubs her forehead and glances at the man in sympathy. "Your boy will live happily and carefree until he turns twenty-three winters old. When he turns twenty three, a stranger will come into his life and their meeting will be fatal. This meeting will bring him great suffering."

Aggi grits his teeth in rage. No, this will not happen. He will make sure of it! "I will shred the bastard into pieces, if he…" Aggi's enraged speech is cut off by Tilda's raised hand. "What? Is there something else?" The man rises from his chair.

"I see the eyes. Burning eyes. Peeking through the darkness. This stranger is not a human." Tilda's hands tremble.

"Not human? What in the gods' name is it then?" Aggi's knuckles turn white as he clenches his fists.

"One of those we do not speak of." Tilda hangs her head.

The man's face turns deathly pale with desperation and fear. Why his boy? What has he done, how has he angered the gods, to deserve such a fate?

After a long silence, Tilda speaks. "Forgive me for such a hideous prophecy, but you know the rules." She gets up from her seat. "I will go. I do not need your escorting. Stay with your family. Spend as much time as possible by your son's side. And it's better if Brita does not know about the prophecy." Tilda stops at the door, her hands straightening the wrinkles on her dress. "I am not sure if it will help or not, but don't let Castiel go in the woods."

She opens the door and walks outside. The wind has already sneaked into the room and put out the light from the lamp. The fire has died in the fireplace, but the embers are still bright red and it's enough to see the man sitting at the table. His shoulders are slumped and shaking.

The wolves howl pitifully from the woods as Aggi sits at the table crying over his newborn son's fate.


	2. Chapter 2

Time flows fast and seasons change. Winter is replaced by spring, spring by summer, and so on. Five summers have passed since Castiel's birth.

The last days of summer have arrived and people need to hurry with the harvest, gather crops and store them for winter. Traditionally this is the period when various people choose to go to the biggest village in the area – Wolf's Lair - to sell and trade the products of their harvest. The place is always noisy and crowded.

Aggi too is getting ready to go to Wolf's Lair. He has lots of cheese, ghee, and enormous catfishes to take to the market.

It's midday and the sun shines brightly in the sky, with no sign of clouds. It means they will have good weather, and he thanks the gods for that.

Aggi and Brita stand in front of their wooden house, looking at the dusty road expectantly. The man is waiting for his best friend, Gunar, to arrive.

"I think the trade will be good," Aggi says to his wife. "This year's cheese and ghee are of a better quality than usual. And the fish are twice as big as last year's."

Brita is about to respond when a loud wailing startles them. "It's Castiel," she exclaims with fear, and both parents run behind the house.

And there, beside a hawthorn bush, a little child with brown locks stands and wails at the top of his lungs.

"My child, why are you crying? What happened?" Brita squats in front of Castiel, who is holding something in his hands.

"It hurts," shrieks Castiel as he swallows more tears and snot.

"What are you holding? Let me see." Aggi carefully touches his son's wrist.

Castiel hiccups and slowly opens his palms. His parents see that the boy is holding a thorny ball – a hedgehog.

Aggi tries his best not to laugh, but a grin already dances on his lips and the man just gives in. He bends his head back and laughs heartily. Brita chuckles too. Castiel frowns; his azure blue eyes look hurt and he looks like he will break down crying again any minute.

"My son, it's a hedgehog." Aggi ruffles the child's hair.

"Why did you catch it? Did you not see that it has sharp thorns?" Brita sits her son in her lap and kisses his prickled fingers.

"It was alone near this bush and I pitied it. I wanted to pet it and it hurt my fingers." Castiel wipes the tears off and puts the hedgehog down.

"Hedgehogs have thorns to protect themselves from enemies. Perhaps it left its hole to get some food for its babies. Come here." Aggi picks his son up.  
"Look who's here!" A deep voice says and a tall, bulky man appears from behind them. It's Gunar, the best friend of Aggi. The man cheerfully greets everyone and stands beside his friend. "So, what is happening here? Discussing family matters?" He waggles his eyebrows.

"No. There was a bloody meeting not so long ago," Aggi answers his friend very seriously.

"Really?" Gunar asks, puzzled, and looks around. "Where are all the dead or wounded then?" he scratches his beard.

Brita laughs softly at his confused expression. Her laughter is amicable, not mocking.

"I don't understand," Gunar says sincerely.

"Oh, I was just joking," Aggi snickers and taps his friend's shoulder. "Castiel caught a hedgehog and got his fingers pricked."

Gunar's thoughtful expression vanishes and his face lights up. His roaring laughter startles the birds sitting on nearby trees. The man snatches the boy out of his father's arms and throws him up in the air several times. Castiel forgets all about hedgehogs and bloody fingers, squealing happily.

"It's nothing," Gunar soothes the boy. "It will not leave scars. But even if it does, women like scars on men. Well, you will find out when you get married." Gunar puts the boy down.

"When I get married?" Castiel stares at the man with his wide, curious eyes.

"Yes, when you grow up we will find you a good woman." Gunar winks at Castiel.

Aggi looks at the road, fidgeting slightly. They should leave so that they get to town before it's too overcrowded and all the stalls are taken.

"We'd better go. We have a long road ahead."

Gunar looks at the sun. "Right you are, my friend."

The small company moves to the front of the house. Castiel walks beside his father. His small hand grabs the sheathed sword his father has strapped onto his belt.

"I want a sword like this, father," he says as he pulls at his father's sleeve.

"I promise you will have a better sword when you grow up." Aggi caresses his son's hair.

The men stop at the front of the carriage, heavy with goods for selling, and Aggi looks back to Brita and Castiel. He knows that he will be back in the evening, but leaving his wife and son behind still bothers him. He is not afraid for Dagni, for she is with her grandparents helping with the harvest, as her grandmother has fallen ill. And Aggi's father might be old, but he is still strong enough to slay an enemy without much effort.

"Take care of Castiel. And remember to care for the animals." Aggi hugs his wife and kisses her gently.

"Do not worry, my love, I will take a good care of them. Dagni will return tomorrow. I'm sure they have finished gathering the crops and your father will bring her back."

"We will be back late in the evening," Aggi tells her and the horses move from their place.

Brita and her son look at the road that is slowly disappearing in the whirlwind of dust. The woman feels sadness tugging at her heart, but she quickly brushes it off. He will be back in the evening. It's not like she has to wait for eternity. And judging by the amount of work she has to do, the time will flow fast.

"Come, dear. Let's get inside." She holds her son's hand and they walk inside the house.

* * *

Aggi and Gunar are very surprised when their goods sell with lightning speed. It's been only an hour since they arrived at Wolf's Lair and took their places and already half of their goods are sold.

"Can you believe our luck?" Gunar beams with happiness.

"The gods are on our side today," Aggi grins as he sells another catfish.

After three hours they have nothing left to sell and begin to buy some things for themselves. Gunar, being a single man, chooses just a new sharp axe for himself. Aggi thinks about gifts and he ends up with a pearl necklace and earrings for his wife, a coral bracelet and a mirror in a carved wooden frame for Dagni, and a small silver dagger with protecting runes engraved on the blade for Castiel.

Gunar frowns when he sees the dagger in his friend's hands. He knows about Tilda's prophecy and his heart aches for the boy. One of the main reasons he's single is that he has been unsure his children would not have had a cursed future.

"Prophecies do not always come true," Gunar tries to comfort his friend, but he does not believe himself in the first place.

"But Tilda's do." Aggi's smile is bitter and painful. "Let's go home."

* * *

Castiel sits on the grass eating freshly baked bread and throws some crumbs to a curious squirrel that hops nearby when he hears the neighing of horses.

"Father!" the boy shouts gleefully and runs to meet him, squealing and jumping with joy.

Aggi catches his boy, laughing and kissing his forehead. "Hey there, big boy. Where is your mother?"

His question is answered shortly when Brita walks out of the house and hurries towards her husband. Her hands are white and covered in flour. The man wraps his strong arms around her slender waist and spins her around. Brita gasps, not expecting this, but then laughs merrily, baring her pearly white teeth.

"Mm, I missed you, my love." Aggi attacks her lips hungrily.

"Aggi," the woman blushes and glances at their child.

"Oh, come on, we are not doing anything bad." The man puts a chaste kiss on her lips. "Alright, I have brought some gifts for you. Who wants to see them?" he asks mischievously.

"I do, I do!" Castiel jumps up and down.

"Fine, but let's eat first. I am hungry like a wolf." Aggi pulls his wife and son closer and they enter the house.

* * *

It's past midnight and the village is asleep when the dogs start to howl and bark. Their chains rattle in an attempt to break free. Then there is a distant but quickly approaching vibration. The earth starts to quake, the wooden walls and floor creak.

Aggi wakes up at the first shock and sits up in bed. The movement wakes Brita. Her fear grows when pots, plates, and other cutlery start to clink and bounce.

"What's happening?" she sounds terrified.

"Get dressed and wake Castiel!" Aggi is already dressed and taking his sword off the wall.

A few minutes pass and Brita holds her sleepy son in her arms, breathing heavily. Uncertainty is worse than fear.

"What are these sounds?" she whispers and suddenly the vibrations and all the noises stop abruptly.

Aggi holds his unsheathed sword, staring at the door. He will cut in half any bastard that will try to enter through it. As soon as the noises are gone, the man relaxes a little. He lowers the weapon and wants to say that it's over when a blood-curdling scream sounds from outside:

"They are here!"

Brita goes deathly pale and reels, but at the last second regains her composure. She tightens her arms around Castiel and looks at her husband.

"You need to go to the shelter. Now!" Aggi shouts and pushes the door open.

They are met with a hungry and hideous darkness that tries to swallow them, opening its jaws. But there are much worse and more fearful things existing than just darkness, and right in this moment they have come to the village.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter BAMF Dean ;)
> 
> Also, I guess I should warn you for a partial non-con in this chapter. It's from Dean's flashback.

A small group of sparrows sits on an old elm tree and stares down at a green lake. They tilt their heads with a great interest as merry whistling sounds come from below.

Strong hands and arms splash and cut through the cool water. There's some coughing and spluttering too.

"See something you like?" shouts a deep, gruff voice and the feathered creatures fly away hurriedly.

The man lets out a low chuckle and lies on the water's surface, spreading out like a starfish. He hums happily and looks up at the cloudless sky.

Rays of sun light up his face and his green eyes sparkle like emeralds. The sun licks his body hungrily and when he gets bored, he decides to come out of the water.

The man walks out of the lake slowly, running his hand through his wet hair and brushing out water droplets.

He has the most perfect body anyone has ever seen; tall and athletic, with broad shoulders and arms nicely toned. His chest and abdomen have well-defined, chiseled muscles. The whole body radiates inhuman strength and power.

He makes a few steps, moving away from the lake to a small, sun-lit place and lies down on the warm, green grass.

"Mhhmm, what a lovely feeling," he purrs and tucks one hand under his head. The summer heat feels nice against his wet skin. Warmth and the beauty of his surroundings make his mind wander off to somewhere else.

_"No, please don't…" Teary eyes are staring at him and their owner trembles in fear._   
  
_"Did I ask you to talk?" asks a voice seductively, as a finger traces a line along the victim's jawline._   
  
_"But… but I didn't do anything... I did not break the rules…" a boy whimpers. He's no more than twenty._   
  
_"Do I look like I care?" The words are whispered in the darkness._

_"But why? How…You can't…" the distressed voice cracks and there is another sob._   
  
_Bone chilling laughter is accompanied with a light bite on the victim's neck. "I can't? Who told you that I can't? Let me prove you wrong." The strong hands flip the body over and hold it against a wooden wall._   
  
_"As much as I would love to hear your screams, we need to keep it down." The violator gags the boy with his silk handkerchief. "Let the fun begin!" He smirks and pulls the boy's shirt up…_

A smug smile is dancing on his full lips as he enjoys the memories. Instinctively his hand has started caressing his abdomen, going down in slow movements. He parts his strong, taut thighs and grips the half-erect member, a slow moan escaping from his throat.

"Thank me that I didn't kill you, little bitch." His breath shudders as his hand speeds up stroking.

He's close, very close, knees buckling and breath becoming ragged. Just a few more strokes and…

"My eyes!" someone screams, and the man lost in self-pleasuring yelps, startled. "For the love of the Blackened Heart, Dean!"

Dean jumps to his feet, his face and chest flushed. He holds his clothes and an unsheathed sword in either hand. But in a few seconds he recognizes the screamer.

"What the fuck, Sammy? Can't I have some private time?" he yells at the newcomer, dropping the sword.

The other man is taller, with floppy brown hair and hazel eyes. He's muscular and intimidating.

"Were you not my stupid little brother, I would rip you to shreds!" Dean continues indignantly. "Fool!" 

Sam just huffs and tries not to pay attention to his brother's tirade. 

"What's the matter? Something happened while I was having a pleasant time with myself?" Dean cocks up one eyebrow.

"Alastair has summoned us. He is holding a meeting."

"A meeting?" Dean finishes dressing himself and winces slightly when the trousers brush uncomfortably against his swollen member.

"Yes. I only know that it's something very important." Sam rests his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Alright, let's see what the old dog wants." Dean walks to a tree, to which a mesmerizing black mare is tied. "Ready, baby?" Dean pats her head lovingly and hoists himself into the saddle.

Sam gets on his auburn stallion and gallops behind his brother. They follow the path that leads to the fortress deep inside the woods, far away from any village.

"Something big has to be going on, if he summoned all the demons," assumes Dean, glancing into the distance in front of him.

Sam grumbles something incomprehensible in response and his older brother does not bother to ask him to repeat it.

"We should hurry," Sam says suddenly a moment later and loosens his grip on the reins. The auburn stallion neighs and flies forward like an arrow. The younger demon grins mischievously as his brother is left behind.

"Oh, come on Sammy, you know that Impala can beat him." Dean laughs loud and Sam knows that his brother is right. Rage might be a perfect horse in each and every aspect but Impala is beyond perfection. Sam is sure that if it were a demon like them, whether male or female, his brother would definitely sleep with it; when it comes to sex, Dean doesn't care about gender. The only thing that matters for him is good looks. Young, pretty beings. 

"What did I tell you, bitch?" someone yells into his ear and Sam jumps a few inches off of his saddle. It's Dean, who gallops away, cackling madly.

"Idiot!" the younger brother shouts after him.

They do not rest their horses until they reach the tremendous fortress built from limestone and sandstone with heavy iron gates in the middle.

* * *

Alastair sits on his golden throne, looking grim and sinister like always. But today, there still is something different about the demon lord. A short scepter spins in his hand.

He looks around the hall that is full of his warriors. He knows exactly how many demons there are: exactly two hundred and fifty two, including the demon lord himself; he does not need to count them.

Dean and his brother are in the first row, waiting for whatever their master has to tell them. Sam looks peaceful, while his brother seems about to lose his temper. They've been here for almost an hour waiting for Alastair to announce the reason for their gathering.

"Stand still," Sam hisses to his brother, as he nudges him almost imperceptibly. Dean grunts and curses when his Sam's elbow hits him painfully in the ribs.

Finally Alastair shows mercy and begins. His nasally, snarky voice fills the chamber.

"Today at dawn, one of my wolves was killed by a villager. He came into the forest and was plucking apples from a tree, when Thunder attacked him. My puppy fought well and gifted the bastard with many wounds. He did not survive. But…" Alastair stops as a slight fidgeting gets his attention in the back rows. The movements cease abruptly as the demon's cold, burning stare drills the culprit. "…that abomination stabbed him with a poisoned knife, and Thunder died. Painfully."

There is a dead silence and everyone can hear a fly buzzing somewhere up on the ceiling.

"At midnight we raid their village and annihilate them." Alastair's voice clearly states that the decision is final and nobody is to argue against it.

Sam stares down at the marble floor. His brows are knitted together. Unreadable expressions replace each other on his face.

"Hey," Dean croaks beside him. "Are you alright?"

His younger brother shakes his head. No, he is not alright.

"This isn't right," he whispers. He wants to add something else, but Alastair cuts him off.

"At the hour of Sleeping Shadows you are expected to be at the gates, armed and armored. And if I see even one person missing, I will punish the entire army. And you know I do not lack imagination in my punishments." Alastair's evil smirk can make one's hair stand on end.

As they exit the hall, Dean grabs his brother by the arm and drags him to the side. "What's happening to you?" he hisses, looking around cautiously. They don't need witnesses for this. Apparently his silly younger brother has started to have doubts.

"I'm not sure this is the right thing to do, Dean," Sam mumbles almost inaudibly.

"Have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten who you are?" Dean's nostrils flare and his breath comes out unevenly.

"I haven't, Dean. I am a demon and I understand that, but it doesn't mean that I can't have doubts and personal opinions!" Sam snaps his head up and looks at his brother resolutely.

Dean's mouth falls open. His green eyes are wide in shock. "You are playing with fire, Sammy. Do not decline the nature you were born with. We were born to kill and destroy. We are not made for pity and compassion," Dean grunts through his teeth. "And don't you dare, don't even think about not coming with us tonight!" He points his finger warningly at Sam.

Sam rubs his forehead. He can feel a headache on its way. As much as he does not want to go on a raid with his brother and the other demons, he cannot refuse. He cannot get Dean punished because of his doubts.

"I will come," Sam says briefly and turns around to leave with hurried steps.

Dean stares at his back and can only frantically wonder what in the netherworld's name is going on with Sam.

* * *

As ordered, the demons are gathered at the gates of the fortress at the hour of Sleeping Shadows. Alastair sits on his fire red mare Lilith, looking at his army. The demon lord smirks when he sees that all of his demons are present. Of course no one dares to disobey; after what happened last time someone defied his orders, nobody wants to push their luck.

Alastair divides his army into two troops. Dean and Sam are both in Alastair's troop, while the other one is led by Alastair's second-in-command, Azazel.

As soon as the demon lord gives a sign, the demonic horde goes off with terrifying noises. The horses are neighing, nostrils flaring, eyes flashing fire and thunder, mouths frothing. The ground quakes under their hooves.

A flock of black ravens croak and fly towards the village as the messengers of doom.


	4. Chapter 4

Fire sparks under the horses' hooves as the demonic horde gallops through the forest. The sight is eerie and blood-curdling. The army of darkness is on the rampage; 'slash, kill, slay, destroy,' are the only things going through their minds.

Dean shoots a glance at his brother, who rides next to him. Sam looks like he might fall off his horse any second. Rage just keeps taking his master to the destination, neighing impatiently.

"Sam?" Dean's voice drags the younger demon out of his deep thoughts.

The dazed look on Sam's face is a clear sign that he is somewhere else, far away from here.

"Pull yourself together!" Dean snarls, annoyed. He decides that he will have a serious conversation with his silly brother after they are done with the village.

As the demons slowly approach their target, they see that the village is enveloped in silence and covered with a blanket of sleep. But as the earth shakes under the clatter of horses' hooves, the dogs start to bark and howl.

"Azazel!" the demon lord calls out.

"I am here, milord," sounds Azazel's voice.

"You and your troop will take this path. I want you to attack them from behind while my warriors and I charge them from the main entrance. I want them trapped, so there will be no escape while I start killing them slowly. All of them! No exceptions! Am I clear?" Alastair's voice thunders and even Azazel flinches.

"Yes, milord," Azazel bows, pulls the reins, and gives a sign to his troop.

The demonic army divides and half of it follows Azazel, who must take them to the second entrance so they can attack according to the plan.

But this is not as easy as the dark creatures thought it would be. One by one the doors of the houses begin to open. There are voices, at first hushed, whispered words that soon turn into shouts and screams. Small children start to cry, and newborn babies shriek. Armed men begin to run out with blazing swords and axes held tight in their hands. As they see the enemy, the humans stop dead in their tracks.

Alastair pulls the reins. Lilith lets out a bloodcurdling neigh and rears. The demon lord pats her and smirks; the wolfish grin makes his dreadful face even eerier.

"Alastair, why have you come to our home?" the head of the village, Einar, asks. He is a tall, bulky man who has seen a lot throughout his life and is obviously a very experienced warrior.

Alastair leans forward and points his whip at Einar. "One of your men came into the forest and plucked apples. You know very well that you puny humans are not allowed to enter our domain, don't you?" Alastair's voice sounds dangerously sweet, which is never a good thing.

Einar's hand tightens around his sword. So, this is the reason the demons are here. Someone has been a fool and brought misfortune to the whole village.

"Yes, we know that. This will not happen again and I will punish the culprit myself," Einar answers calmly, hoping that this will be enough.

Alastair studies him for a while before he bursts into uncontrollable laughter. When he has had enough he stops and continues: "There is no need for it. My puppy took care of him. But the bastard stabbed him with a poisoned knife." The demon lord's voice is sharper than steel.

Einar fidgets slowly, understanding well that this will not end that easily. But he has to try anyway, for the sake of his people. "So the man is dead and we cannot punish him. And as to your loss, we are very sorry about your puppy."

Alastair's eyes shine with an unkind light and he grins. "No, you aren't, but you will be!"

In the next few seconds, chaos ensues. Demons charge at Alastair's order. They are much stronger and faster than humans and are not defeated as easily. Being evil creatures, they have knowledge of dark magic, which at the moment consists of controlling the elements.

As the night becomes filled with screams, groans, neighing, and the clashing of steel, and the ground gets covered with rivers of blood and more corpses, fires start to appear one by one in the grass.

"To the back wall!" Einar shouts to the remaining villagers, and they are trying to run between the fires, when their path is blocked by Azazel's troop.

Einar knows that they are doomed. The whole village, including the women and small children, will be slaughtered and there is nothing they can do to stop it.

"Gods, what have we done that you have forsaken us?" Einar whispers hoarsely. He looks at the approaching demons, Azazel at the head, and prays for strength that he can take as many demons with him to the otherworld as possible.

Some shadows appear behind the firewalls. Einar narrows his eyes and thinks that it's a new group of demons, but he gasps in surprise when he notices Tilda with four other women. Tilda's face is unreadable. The women are holding baskets full of small, motley bags.

"Tilda, what are you doing here?" Einar shouts at her. "Get out of here!"

"Be calm, Einar," Tilda answers collectedly and begins to throw small bags into the fires. Her companions do the same.

Black smoke and a bitter smell erupt from the fires. Alastair's raised hand, ready to blow a strike at another human, lowers and he sniffs the air.

"What is this smell?" he hisses, already knowing the answer.

"Small gifts from us to you. Made from hypericum, wormwood, nettle, and thistle. Your favorite herbs."

Tilda grins in satisfaction as the demons curse and roar in despair. Of course the old witch had to use those damn herbs that all demons hate!

"You will pay for this, whore!" Alastair grits his teeth. His eyes water and the smoke makes him cough. If only it were ordinary smoke. He may be the most powerful of demons, but even he is powerless against demon repelling herbs.

"We are leaving." Alastair barks his command and turns Lilith around. The horse is only too happy to obey…

* * *

In the mass chaos of clashing bodies and horses fleeing, Dean is separated from his troop. He curses when, out of nowhere, a big tree and three dead men fly through the air and crash down right in front of Impala, blocking her path.

Dean knows that Alastair is after the villagers that try to escape the fire by going to the back wall. The young demon plans to join them as soon as possible, but his plan is ruined by this stupid incident. He spits aside angrily, as he has to take another path now, and decides to go around one of the houses.

He has perfect eyesight, even in the darkness, and it is not difficult to notice a woman who carries a sleeping child in her arms. Of course she wants to hide her baby. Dean senses that she is running towards some kind of a special place, maybe a shelter.

"Come now, you know that your escape is in vain, don't you?" His deep laughter startles the woman and she screams, frightened. The woman turns around and Dean must admit that she is very beautiful. The demon's gaze falls upon the child who stirs at his mother's cry. "It seems I caught two birds in one go," Dean purrs like a well-fed cat.

"Get away from us!" She sounds desperate and quickens her steps. Her breathing is heavy; she is tired and frightened to death, but she will protect her child at any cost.

"I don't think so," Dean snarls and taps his heels against Impala's sides. There must be a special connection between the horse and its master, as she understands him clearly. Impala rears and hits her hooves against the ground with a mighty force. The earth quakes under its power and several cracks appear. The shock makes the woman stumble and she falls down.

Impala stops, snorting and pawing the ground as if waiting for the next command. Dean dismounts her and walks towards the mother and the child. His sword is still red from spilled blood. The woman lies on the ground, unconscious. Probably she has hit her head against a rock or something. There are only a few steps left before Dean reaches them, when the child gets up and turns around. Oh, so it's a boy! So tiny and fragile.

The little boy puts himself between his mother and the approaching demon. His blue eyes flash with anger, and Dean can't help but grin at this little fool. This looks like it will be so much fun.

"If you try to get closer and hurt her, I will kill you," the boy says so seriously that the demon's mouth pops open. The father of this boy should be very proud. The little idiot is truly brave to talk to a demon like this.

"Oh, please don't kill me!" The demon raises his hands mockingly towards the sky.

He drives his sword into the ground and steps forward. He can crush this child's bones with one hand; that might bring him more pleasure than cutting the boy's throat open with his sword.

"I said, stop!" the boy shouts at him.

Dean smirks and in another instant he holds a flailing boy in the air, grabbing him by the arms. His grip is so tight that he can feel how the blood flows through the child's veins and hears how the boy's heart thuds quick and frantic against his ribcage.

"I am sorry to disappoint you, sweetie, but you can't kill me. I can and will kill you, but not before I kill your mother and make you watch." Dean's eyes burn with a liquid green fire as he smiles wickedly.

A moment later, the demon is left shocked when the boy somehow breaks from his vice like grip and something sinks into his left thigh.

"What the…" For a second Dean forgets about the boy and cautiously touches his thigh, pulling a small dagger out of a wound in his flesh. He looks down at the steel; there are some symbols engraved on the blade. The wound is not very deep, but Dean can feel blood leaking out. And then… then something begins to happen.

His vision starts to get blurry and ears ring. The demon shakes his head, as if trying to clear his mind, but it only gets worse. There is a burning, excruciating sensation slowly spreading from the wound, all the way down his left leg.

Dean reels and falls down on his knees. He manages to grab the boy by the throat.

"What did you do to me, you little piece of shit…." he growls, tightening his grip. The demon wants to break the boy's neck like a twig, but his strength is draining out of him. Dean tries to strangle the boy anew, and that's when a foreign sensation overcomes him.

" _Do not kill him! Do not kill him! Do not kill him! Do not kill him_!" the voice screams in his head and Dean shouts in pain from its power. He lets go and the boy starts to cough, trying to inhale some much-needed air.

The demon gathers the last remains of his strength and pulls his sword out of the ground to sheath it. He barely manages to mount Impala when he hears Alastair's shout about leaving. "Go…" Dean leans forward and croaks into her ear. Impala takes off with unbelievable speed and it's good that the demon is grasping the reins. He gives the boy a last blazing look before leaving the village.

* * *

The next minutes – or maybe hours - are pure, agonizing torture. Dean sways in his saddle, fighting unbearable pain that eats him from the inside.

"Sam… Sammy…" he howls and clutches his thigh. A broken sob escapes his mouth when a new wave of pain crashes over him. The demon falls off the horse, but hitting the solid ground feels comforting compared to the hideous pain throbbing in his thigh.

Dean sits up and rips the left leg of his trousers open to examine the damage on his flesh. There is a glowing red mark on his thigh. With his trembling hand he touches the wound, but it only makes things worse. As soon as his fingers make a contact with the red mark, his flesh starts to sizzle and hiss like an angry venomous snake, ready to attack. And the pain gets ten times worse. This is too much even for a demon. Dean's eyes roll back in his head and with a gut wrenching scream he falls down on the ground.  
And in this fatal summer night, there is a black mare standing in the forest and neighing miserably over her master's unconscious body…


	5. Chapter 5

Not a long time has passed since the demons left the village and headed back to the fortress, still hissing and snarling at their defeat, when Sam notices that his brother is missing.

He looks around, futilely hoping that he will find him in the ranks of the army, but Dean is nowhere to be seen.

Sam is courageous, he always has been, and there is almost nothing that can scare him, but the thought that Dean might be in trouble, or even dead, spreads bone-chilling panic through his body.

A long time ago, when their parents were trapped and killed by some demon hunters, the brothers were left alone with no one at their side. Dean had raised his younger brother, replacing both parents. A few summers had passed before Azazel had found the boys and taken them to Alastair. As soon as they had entered the fortress, their childhood was gone, replaced by the severe life of a warrior. Alastair needed new blood for his demonic army and young demons were the best option. He would train them and make them the perfect killers, men after his own heart – or lack thereof.

Sam's heart pounds fast as he gasps for air. The younger demon lags behind, waiting for the army to disappear from his eyesight. After a few minutes, he turns Rage around and gallops towards the village.

"Dean, where are you? What happened to you?" he whispers as the horse rushes through the woods.

Half of the way is covered when Sam hears the neighing of a horse. He stops Rage abruptly and listens. It's Impala; Sam can recognize her voice easily. The demon pulls the reins and gallops towards the sound.

Under the dim light of the moon, he sees his older brother lying on the ground, unconscious. Sam quickly approaches him, falling on his knees.

"Dean? Please, open your eyes!" Sam shakes him gently, but in vain.

The younger demon's gaze falls on his brother's thigh. Dean's trousers are ripped down his leg and there is an ugly, bleeding and glowing mark there.

"What the…" Sam gasps and tries to touch the wound, but something stops him. An instinct.

He puts his hand on Dean's chest and when he feels a faint beating, Sam sighs in relief. His brother is alive. Nothing else matters. Sam will make sure that Dean recovers soon and they will find out what happened.

Sam takes his brother's sword, which is laid at Dean's side, and sheathes it carefully. Then gingerly, so as not to hurt the older demon, picks him up and drapes him over Impala.

"Everything will be well, Dean. I promise," he mutters and mounts Rage.

"Let's go." Sam holds both reins and the horses trot toward the direction of the demons' fortress.

* * *

The fires vanish as soon as the demons leave the village. Then again, one can hardly call it a village anymore. The place is devastated and ruined. Wreckage and shattered pieces of wood that used to be walls or roofs of houses are scattered all around, their owners and their families lying slain on the ground. Rivers of blood flow mixed with mud.

"They are gone," rasps a tall man who is kneeling near the uprooted tree.

A small group of men move around to check if there are people still alive amongst the pile of dead on the ground.

"Aggi," sounds a woman's voice and a warrior covered in blood and wounds turns around.

Tilda stands with a stern face. She looks calm and collected, considering everything. "Leave this to the others. You need to find Brita and Castiel."

"I sent them to the shelter," Aggi breathes, hardly able to speak from exhaustion.

Tilda shakes her head and the man panics. With a bad presentiment twisting his gut, Aggi runs towards the shelter. It was built in Aggi's childhood and the purpose of it is to protect children, women, and old people from the dark forces. No demon or any other evil creature can pass through the door of the shelter, as the power of sacred runes protect it.

Aggi stops dead in his tracks as he sees a woman on the ground and a little boy sobbing and shaking her gently.

"Mother, wake up," the boy sniffles.

Dear gods! It's Castiel and Brita!

Aggi forgets everything in the world and runs to his wife and son's side. "Castiel, my son, you're alive!" He grabs the boy and hugs him with a crushing force.

"Father…" Castiel wails and cries into his chest.

"Everything is well, my child. I'm here now." Aggi kisses his son's forehead and turns to Brita. He gently slides one arm under her back and pulls her up. There is a small moan and the woman opens her eyes.

"Aggi…"

"Yes, my love. I'm here." The tears fall from the man's eyes and he kisses her gently.

"Where is Castiel? A demon… a young demon was here… he… he tried to kill us…" Brita wipes a small trickle of blood from her eyebrow.

"I stabbed him with the dagger you brought for me," Castiel sniffles.

"Stabbed him? Where? Is he dead?" his father asks, shocked.

"No, he did not die. I stabbed him in the thigh. And he was in pain."

Aggi swallows hard. Of course the demon would be in pain. Tremendous pain. He brought his son a special dagger with a spell engraved on it. It could easily kill a demon depending on the stabbing force and place. His son is still too small and fragile to fight and kill a demon, but Castiel has done an incredible work by even wounding one.

"We need to go back to our house. Can you walk?" After a nod from Brita, Aggi helps his wife to her feet. He picks Castiel up and wraps an arm around Brita's waist for better balance.

* * *

It's hard to sleep when widows mourn their husbands, mothers cry over their children, and little ones scream and wail for their dead parents. But as the dawn approaches and tiredness takes over, cries and weeping subdue and the village sinks into silence.

After putting Castiel to sleep, Brita cleans and treats her husband's wounds and thanks the gods they are not lethal. Aggi has lost quite a bit of blood, but he is strong and will recover. The main thing is that everyone is alive.

"I am glad that Dagni did not see this massacre," she whispers and bandages a deep cut on Aggi's bare chest.

"Yes. It was a good idea to send her to help grandfather with the harvest." Aggi presses his forehead to Brita's. "When I saw you on the ground and Castiel sobbing, I thought I would die. I cannot lose you. If something happens to you, I will not be able to live." He catches and caresses her hand.

"We are alive and you will never lose us," she murmurs in reply.

* * *

Castiel feels that something grabs the bear skin cover over him, pulling it away from him. He gasps and curls into a ball, clutching the cover with his little hands. He knows he must hold it, not letting it go or he will see something bad. The boy has seen enough for today and has no wish to see more.

There is a scratching sound. Something claws the wooden walls. And there is laughter. Low, sinister laughter.

Castiel's heart wants to leap out and he's covered in a cold sweat. He tries to shout, but nothing comes out. He cannot utter a single word. Silent tears roll down his cheek and the boy lets out a shuddering sob.

The bear skin cover is pulled away from him and Castiel can't help himself, opening one eye to look at the end of his bed. He makes a choking sound when he sees a pair of pale hands with crooked fingers!  
The hands reach towards him and slowly their owner appears. It's a figure wrapped in a black cape that crawls towards the boy, chuckling and snickering. "Did not expect me? Sorry to disappoint you, but here I am!"

Castiel tries to scream, but only small mewling leaves his mouth.

"You are mine. You cannot escape me." The figure hisses and reveals his face. It's the demon Castiel stabbed earlier. The creature smirks, his eyes flashing with green light. He wraps his fingers around the boy's throat. "You thought I would not remember you and what you did to me? You are wrong, sweetheart," the demon purrs and tightens his grip around Castiel's throat.

A blood-curdling scream has Aggi and Brita on their feet. When they run into Castiel's room, the first thing they see is an empty bed.

Brita brings the oil lamp in and they find Castiel trembling with his eyes wide open in one of the corners.

"Castiel… darling, what happened?" Brita holds her son's face in her hands. Her voice is full of fear.

"I saw him… the demon was trying to kill me." The boy is in shock. His gaze is empty and frozen.

"The demon? What are you talking about?" Aggi stares at his son intently.

"Green eyes… he has green, burning eyes and he said I cannot escape him, and he said 'you are mine'." Castiel speaks as if he is in a trance.

"You had a bad dream, sweetie. There are no demons here. No one can hurt you." Brita embraces the child, soothing him.

Aggi slowly turns around and bites his fist. Tilda said that Castiel would meet the demon when he was twenty three winters old. There is something wrong with her prophecy. He thinks it's time to visit her and clear some things up.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam hardly even remembers how he reaches the gates of the fortress. The only thing he can think of is making it in time. " _Hold on, just hold on, Dean_ ," he thinks feverishly.

Dean has not woken up; he has not even groaned or cried out. He is strong, the strongest person Sam knows, and seeing him like this is heartbreaking. He cannot die, Sam will not allow this! The younger demon's eyes start to sting as he imagines life without his brother.

"You're going to be alright!" Sam growls and wipes the nasty wetness from his eyes.

With his mind and heart burdened with dreadful thoughts, Sam reaches the fortress that stands like a tremendous monster in the darkness.

* * *

Castiel refuses to go to sleep. He sits in his mother's lap, arms tightly wrapped around her. He does not cry, does not whimper or wail; instead, he is eerily quiet. Aggi assumes that his son is utterly frightened and these are the consequences.

"Castiel, darling…" Brita begins. Her voice shakes and the woman clears her throat. There is no need to scare the boy even more. "It was just a bad dream. You should sleep, dear."

The boy untangles himself from his mother and gives her a dazed look. His blue eyes are full of something that neither Brita nor Aggi can read.

"It was not a dream. I know he will find me." Castiel's voice is so calm that both parents flinch unwillingly.

"I will not let anything bad happen to you. I promise." Aggi squats in front of his son and takes his hands into his. "Do you trust me?"

Castiel bites his lip and slowly nods. His father is a brave, fearless warrior and he will protect him, and his mother, and sister too, whom he misses already. "Yes, Father. I trust you."

"Well, if you do not want to sleep, we could play dice." Aggi winks at his boy.

"But I do not know how to play dice." Castiel sounds crestfallen.

"I'll teach you. It's easy. Come here, big boy." The man picks his son up and all three of them move to the front room.

* * *

Alastair and Azazel sit around a table, sipping fine wine from golden goblets. The demon lord looks disappointed. His plan has not turned out as he had hoped.

"Milord, you have slain more than half of the village," Azazel tries to comfort his master.

"You know that I do not like to leave my work half done," growls Alastair.

"Yes milord, but those herbs, damned be their names…" Azazel sighs. His head still pounds from the choking smoke of the burned herbs.

Alastair slams his empty goblet on the table. His sly eyes move restlessly and Azazel knows well enough what it means: Alastair is thinking about his next move. He wants to ask something, but desperate and angry shouts that sound from the castle's corridor make him forget about it.

"Out of my way! I said, out of my way!" someone shouts at the top of his lungs.

The demon lord and his second in command move towards the door. Azazel's quizzical expression tells Alastair that he has no idea what's going on.

When they open the door they see a young, tall warrior with his back towards them. He has something thrown over his shoulder. A few seconds later Alastair notices that it's a man, who looks wounded judging from the drops of blood on the floor.

"Why are you yelling?" Alastair asks and the young demon almost jumps, startled.

"Milord… I'm… I'm sorry but… but my brother… he needs help!"

"Samuel…" Alastair recognizes the younger brother when he turns around to face the demon lord. Sam nods nervously and tightens his grip around Dean's waist, as not to drop him.

"What is wrong with your brother?" Alastair frowns at the sight before him. These brothers are his best warriors and he would not want to lose either of them.

"I found him in the woods unconscious. He… he is wounded, but the wound looks strange." Sam licks his dry lips.

"Strange?" Azazel cuts in.

"Yes, I have never seen anything like this before. And I am afraid Dean…" Sam chokes, unable to continue his desperate speech.

"Call Asmodeus!" Alastair gives the brief command to one of the demons who stands nearby. The demon nods and leaves hurriedly.

Sam lets out a relieved sigh. He knows Asmodeus very well. He is the best healer known to this world. He knows many forgotten, ancient recipes and mixtures that can heal a hopeless patient. Some say he has resurrected some demons from the underworld too. Sam does not care about resurrections though, he just wants his brother to be well again.

* * *

"How did he manage to get himself stabbed with this? He barely made it back alive," Asmodeus snorts as he washes his hands into a bowl of warm water after finishing examining Dean's wound.

"What do you mean? What is wrong with him?" Alastair asks with his arms folded on his chest.

They are in Dean's chamber. Sam stands near his brother's bed while Alastair, Azazel and the healer are at the table.

"He's been wounded by the 'kiss of death'. It's a special silver dagger with a protection spell on it, made for humans to use against us." Asmodeus smirks. "Dean is lucky. Apparently the strike was not strong enough, otherwise he could have died."

"Will he recover? He's going to be well, right?" Sam pleads.

"Let's hope my boy, let's hope. He has a strong body and spirit." Then Asmodeus sighs. "I can't be of much help here. There is no medicine for this illness. He must fight it off by himself. Milord," he nods to Alastair, and then to Azazel, and leaves the chamber.

Soon after he leaves, the rest of the demons except Sam follow the healer.

* * *

After learning and playing dice for some time, Castiel falls asleep against his father's chest. Aggi puts him in their bed.

"Go to sleep," he tells Brita gently as he holds her in a tight embrace.

"Where are you going?" his wife asks. She knows her husband well and understands that Aggi is thinking of something, if his voice is anything to go by.

"I need to see Tilda. I need to ask her something."

"Can't it wait till morning? Is it not dangerous outside?" Brita asks, frightened.

"No, the demons will not come back, not now at least. It's safe." Aggi caresses her hair.

"But she might be sleeping. It's too late," the woman protests weakly.

"She never sleeps." Aggi grins widely.

"Oh well, alright then," Brita pouts and removes herself from her husband's warm body.

"I will be back soon, my love. Stay with Castiel." Aggi kisses her one more time before taking his sword and stepping outside into the darkness.

* * *

"So, how can I help you, Aggi?" Tilda asks the man and gives him a sign to sit. She pours ale into two mugs and hands one to him.

"When you foretold Castiel's future, you said you saw burning eyes," begins Aggi and sips the drink.

"Yes, I did," nods the witch.

"This may sound silly but… did you see the color of the eyes?" Aggi looks at Tilda.

She narrows her eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"Just answer the question, please…"

Tilda falls silent and exhales sharply before answering the question. "Yes, I saw the color of his eyes. They were green. Like a liquid green fire."  
Aggi groans and bangs his fist on the table. So, the bastard has come to get his son earlier than intended. Tilda said he would ruin Castiel's life when the boy would have turned twenty three winters old. How is this possible?

"Tilda, you said he would come to my boy when he was twenty-three winters old. But Castiel already saw and wounded him, and as we know, he is only five winters old." Aggi stares at the witch with a confused look.

"I only told you what the gods showed me, Aggi. I do not know how they work, I am just a messenger. And you know that my stones do not lie." Tilda's words do not tell him much.

"I will not let this happen. I know what to do," says Aggi suddenly and stands up. "I will make sure of it. And thank you for your help." He moves to the door, hurrying to get back to his house.

Tilda closes the door after him and shakes her head sorrowfully. "You cannot change his destiny, Aggi." She puts the fire out in her oil lamp and stares into the darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

"Have you lost your mind? Why in the gods' names would you decide something like this?" Gunar cannot believe his own ears. They are at Gunar's house, sitting around a round table with half empty mugs in front of them.

Aggi puts down his mug and rubs his face. The decision he has made is worse than death, but he has no other choice. Had it been different circumstances, he would never think of this.

"I have no other choice, Gunar, and you know that. I cannot let it happen. I'll be damned if I do not try everything to protect my son from that abomination," Aggi says quietly.

Gunar groans as he stares at the table. He knows how much pain and distress his friend feels, and he feels it too. Aggi is his blood brother and he would do anything to protect him and his family. But what can he do in this case? Nothing. And it makes him feel useless.

"Does Brita know about your decision?" He raises his head to look at Aggi. The shaking of his head confirms Gunar's doubts. "Great. Just great," he mumbles.

"I need to go and talk to Tory. It's better if I leave early. It will take me three days to get to the place." Aggi stands up and turns to his friend. "Gunar," he begins.

Gunar nods and squeezes his friend's shoulder to reassure him. "I know, Aggi. You do not have to worry about them."

Aggie looks at him gratefully. "Thank you."

They hug and Aggi leaves his friend's house to return to his own. It's going to be hard to talk to Brita. She might lose her mind from grief. Aggi braces himself as he gets near. It feels like cramp-irons tear his heart out.

* * *

As dawn draws near the sky turns from dull grey to pink. Brita is already up and sweeping in front of their house when she sees her husband. The look on Aggi's face is so distraught that the woman gasps and lets go of her broom. She makes a few unsteady steps towards her husband. The man tries to regain his composure and gives her a small, tired smile.

"What happened?" Brita whispers and closes her eyes in her husband's embrace.

"We need to talk." Aggi buries his face in his wife's hair, which smells of lavender.

"About what?" She looks at him like a frightened fawn.

"Not what, but who. Our son," Aggi mumbles, tightening his embrace around her waist.

"Castiel? What about him?" Brita begins to tremble; her voice shakes with fear.

"Come. You need to sit and listen." Aggi leads her to a pine tree and they sit under it. Aggi holds Brita's hands as he starts to speak. "It was very difficult for me to make this decision, but there is no other choice. I wish there were, but we are not that fortunate."

The woman shakes her head, trying but failing to understand what her husband means. "What are you talking about?"

"There is something that you do not know about our son. Tilda's prophecy." Aggi lowers his gaze, ashamed to meet Brita's eyes.

The woman turns deathly pale and she tightens her grasp around Aggi's wrists. It's amazing that a fragile woman has such a powerful grip. "You have been keeping it secret for five summers? Tell me!" She sounds composed, but a raging storm and rumbling thunder hide under that calm.

Aggi lets out a shuddering breath and begins to tell her about Tilda's prophecy. The memories of that night come to life with each spilled word and bring Castiel's ominous future forth with them. By the time Aggi finishes telling her the whole story, Brita is sitting quietly. She does not say a word; her silent tears speak louder than any words could. "What about your decision? Is there a way to save our child?" she whispers, staring at the ground.

"I decided to send him to Blazing Blades and I am leaving today to see Tory."

"Blazing Blades? But… but Aggi…" Britta cannot stifle her sobs anymore and breaks down.

"I know my love, but we do not have luxury of options." The man bites his lip, drawing blood as he does so, to hold his own tears back.

"That is twenty summers, Aggi. We will not see our son for twenty summers!" Brita collapses in her husband's lap and shakes from sobs.

"I am sorry. The gods know I am terribly sorry." The man tenderly caresses her hair with a shaking hand.

Somewhere in the distance, a jaybird chirps pitifully. It feels as if the bird is crying over Castiel's fate too.

* * *

Aggi leaves soon after talking to his wife, mounting his beautiful, loyal Ulrika. The horse neighs merrily and nuzzles against her master's neck before he mounts her. Aggi pats her head and whispers some endearments into her ear.

The sun has reached its zenith when Dagni appears. Her grandfather has sent her with his neighbor, who wants to buy a good horse in Aggi's village.

"Dagni!" Castiel screams and runs towards his sister, abandoning what he was doing. Who needs red bugs when his sister is back?

"Little brother," Dagni cries out and catches him in the air as Castiel throws himself at her.

"I missed you, missed you, missed you!" the boy chants nonstop and kisses her cheeks.

"I missed you too." Dagni ruffles her brother's hair and puts him on the ground. "Grandfather has sent you something." She puts her hand into her pocket and takes something out.

"Candied walnuts!" Castiel squeals as Dagni puts something sticky into his small palms. "Thank you Dagni. I love you!" Castiel wraps his arms around his sister.

"Love you too, my little brother." Dagni smiles at him.

"I will share with everyone when we get into the house," Castiel states seriously and takes her hand. "Come, Mother will be very happy to see you." He pulls at her hand.

"Where is Father?" Dagni looks around, searching for Aggi.

"Mother said he went to see his friend and will be back in three days." Castiel all but runs towards the house, dragging Dagni with him.

"Alright, let's see Mother then," the girl laughs softly and follows her fidgety brother.

After hearing Castiel's screaming and squealing, Brita hurriedly appears in the doorway. When she sees her children, her worries disappear, replaced by joy.

"Dagni." She opens her arms as her daughter runs towards her.

"Mother, I missed you," she whispers and sighs happily in Brita's embrace.

"I have baked cinnamon rolls and we have fresh milk. Come, children." She lets them enter the house, following them and quickly closing the door behind her. "How is your grandmother?" Brita asks her daughter as she pours milk into her cup.

"She is better. The fever is gone and hopefully she will be up tomorrow. Mmm, this is delicious," Dagni hums.

Castiel puts his grandfather's gift on the table, dividing it into equal three parts. "For mother, for you, and for me," he explains. "Father is not here, so no walnuts for him," he pouts. Brita knows that he is upset that Aggi did not see him before he left.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, uncle Gunar will be here soon." Brita gives Castiel a wink.

"Really?" Castiel's blue eyes instantly light up. The boy loves this man immensely.

Brita nods. "Yes. He told your father."

Castiel looks thoughtful for a moment, and then he reaches his hand out, making an extra small pile of walnuts. "For uncle Gunar," he adds, grinning.

"Good boy." Brita nods her approval and sits at the table. Almost the whole family is present. She looks at her beautiful children and her eyes start to water, remembering that she will not see one of them for a very, very long time.

"Mother? Are you crying?" Dagni's soft voice withdraws her from bitter thoughts.

"No, darling. I am just happy to see you," she assures her quickly. "Don't stop eating. Finish your breakfast."

Brita stands up and returns to the kitchen. As soon as she gets behind a wall, she buries her face in her apron and cries silently.

* * *

Sam's neck feels stiff from sitting in this armchair for so long, but even so, he will not leave his brother alone. What if Dean wakes up when Sam is gone? The younger demon's mind thinks furiously and tries desperately to figure out who injured his brother. Despite the fact that he never liked the pointless slaughtering of humans, even he is ready to strangle the bastard who dared try to kill his brother.  
He is thinking about creative ways of punishing the culprit when a groan catches his attention and Sam turns to the bed immediately. He stands and towers over the bed, looking at Dean's face for possible signs of awakening.

"Water," Dean croaks, licking his chapped and dried lips.

"Dean… yes… water, of course!" Sam rushes to the table and pours water into a mug. "Here, I've got you." He slides his hand under Dean's shoulder blades and lifts him a little so his brother can drink the much needed water.

"Thank you, Sammy," Dean rasps as he drinks it all.

"How are you feeling, Dean?" Sam's own mouth is dry and he is speaking barely above a whisper.

"Much better. The pain is still there, but it's bearable. Help me with these pillows."

Sam rearranges the pillows and Dean leans against them. Sam sits on the bed with a deep frown on his face.

"What happened?" Sam inquires. "I couldn't find you on the way back to the fortress, and then I heard Impala's neighing. That's how I found you, bloody and unconscious."

"I was dealing with some little shit from the village and he stabbed me with some cursed weapon," Dean makes a guttural growl.

Sam raises his brows. "Little shit? You mean…"

"Yes, Sam. It was a little boy. And I'm going to find the bastard when I get better. I'll make sure he dies a terrible death!" Dean's eyes glow like a cat's in half darkness and an evil, cocky smirk dances on his full lips as his mind plans the revenge.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fot* - old measuring system. 1 fot = 1.030 feet

Aggi knocks at a massive wooden gate and the force of his large fist causes it to shake. The round fence is built from black stones and is at least fifty fot* tall.

"Who's there?" a watchman from a battlement shouts as he looks down at the exhausted-looking man who astride a horse.

"I come from Raven's Tear. My name is Aggi, son of Ainar, and I need to see Tory," Aggi informs him. He waits for the guard's reaction.

"Wait there," the watchman shouts again and disappears for a few seconds, only to open the gates.

"Come in. Master Tory is here," he says to Aggi and steps aside to let the man and his horse in.

The place has a huge yard that is crowded at that moment. Aggi sees some small children carrying buckets of water, or baskets full of various products. The children look at him curiously, but do not slow their pace. At the left side of the yard, there are six young men armed with wooden swords. They stand in a circle and one by one charge a man who stands in the middle. The man is tall and bulky with long, grey hair.

"You are too impatient," the man says to one of the young men as he blocks his strike. He kicks him in the belly and sends him into the mud.

The watchman approaches their group and waits for the man's attention. After sending a few more young warriors' faces into the mud, the man turns his attention to the watchman.

"What is it?" He has a low, raspy voice, but it does not sound unkind.

The watchman lowers his gaze respectfully. "Master Tory, there is a man from Raven's Tear and he wants to see you."

Tory frowns. "Training is finished for today," he tells his students. "Raven's Tear? Take me to him," he says and walks with the watchman to meet Aggi.

Castiel's father is still contemplating his surroundings, the small buildings and the stables, when Tory and the watchman reach him.

"Welcome to Blazing Blades, stranger," the host greets Aggi amicably. "I am Tory and at your service. How can I help you?"

"My name is Aggi. It's an honor to meet you, Tory." Aggi nods politely. "Your name and Blazing Blades are very valorous and famous in my home. I come from Raven's Tear and what I need from you is very important. A matter of life and death."

"Then I assume we should discuss this at a table. Come with me, Aggi." Tory guides his guest to one of the small wooden houses.

They drink their third mug of ale. The atmosphere in the room is relaxing and friendly. Tory radiates a good aura and it's comforting for Aggi's worried and stormy soul.

"Raven's Tear," Tory says thoughtfully. "I've heard a lot about your village, the creatures that live so close to your borders." Tory sips his drink. "The news reached me about the recent massacre."

"Yes. We lost many good warriors. They are strong and fast, but not unstoppable." Aggi's eyes stare at a wooden pillar while his mind raises memories up from the depths of his mind.

"You are not here to talk about the demons. What is the real purpose of your visit?" Tory leans against his chair.

"It's about my son. He is five summers old and he is in danger." Aggi looks down at his mug.

"What kind of danger?" Tory asks curiously. 

"When he was born, the midwife told me that a demon would come after him when he would be twenty three winters old and my son would suffer. But it happened a lot earlier. He found Castiel and tried to kill him in the massacre you have heard about. It was a miracle that my son survived. He managed to wound the demon with the special dagger, but the demon did not die and I know that he will not rest until he finds and kills my son. And I will not let this happen. So I am here to beg you to accept my son at Blazing Blades," Aggi finishes his speech that is full of pain and sorrow.

Tory falls silent and thinks about what he's just heard. The family must've been in a truly desperate situation to send their son away for so many years. "You do realize that you will not see your son for twenty summers, right?" Tory says slowly. He does not find pleasure in this at all, but it's his duty to inform Aggi.

Aggi nods. "Yes, I know. I would rather not see him for twenty summers than see him die."

"I understand and I do not blame you. I would do the same thing if it were my child. You can bring Castiel here. He will be safe. The demons are chained to the forest. It's their feeding source, gives them energy and power. If they leave it for a long time, their demonic nature weakens. Have no worries, he will not come for Castiel here," Tory states confidently.

Aggi's eyes are full of gratitude. "Thank you, Tory."

"Don't mention it. But I have a question for you." Tory narrows his eyes. "What guarantees do you have that the demon will not find Castiel after these twenty summers expire?"

"I do not have any guarantees. I have only my hope that at that time Castiel will be a good warrior who will be able to defend himself in the first place." Aggi smiles bitterly. "Maybe all of this is a temporary solution, but still, it's better than nothing."

"Well…" Tory stands up, "if there is nothing left that you wish to discuss with me, you have to excuse me. I have a lot of things to do. Training lessons with children, going through the expenses, checking the stores. An interesting and exciting routine." Tory laughs heartily.

"Yes, of course. I am very grateful to you and will be forever in your debt," Aggi mumbles awkwardly, standing up. They walk out of the room.

"Bring his horse," Tory tells the groom, who nods and leaves with hurried steps.

"No worries, my friend." Tory taps Aggi's shoulder. "It's my debt to shelter children in danger and raise them as true warriors. This is the purpose of Blazing Blades. Have you already forgotten it?" Tory chuckles and openly admires Ulrika as she is brought to Aggi.

"I could never forget that. We will see you in a few days then." Aggi mounts the horse.

"Yes, certainly. May the gods protect you." Tory bids his goodbye and the guards open the gates to let Aggi out.

* * *

Castiel sits in Gunar's lap and listens to his father's friend with wide eyes and mouth open.

"And then my grandfather cut the troll's belly open with his axe. The roar the troll made was so mighty that the earth shook and mountains collapsed," Gunar continues as he tells the boy a story. Brita and Dagni are in the kitchen and their chuckles can be heard from there.

"What did it sound like, uncle Gunar?" Castiel is lost to this world; his imagination draws the pictures of a giant troll and a strong warrior clashing into a deadly fight.

"What it sounded like? Hmm… I think something like this…" Gunar roars like a bear and playfully attacks the child, tickling him mercilessly. They both fall on the floor.

Castiel shrieks and laughs and kicks his feet. Tears of joy and laughter stream down his face. Brita and her daughter peek out of the kitchen to see what's happening and they can't help but laugh too.

Few minutes later the boy is exhausted and he makes weak mewling protests when Gunar's fingers tickle him again. But then there is another sound from the outside. Neighing.

"It's Ulrika!" Castiel squeals. "Father has returned!"

Gunar lets him go and Castiel runs to the door. As soon as it's open, the boy rushes outside towards his father. Gunar, Brita, and Dagni follow him quickly.

"Father!" Castiel shrieks as he reaches the horse.

"Yes, my son," Aggi leans down takes his son into his arms, squeezing him into a crushing hug.

"I missed you, Father," the boy whines against his chest and wraps his arms around Aggi's neck.

"And I missed you more." The man kisses his son's head while carrying him towards the waiting people.

Aggi puts Castiel down and embraces his wife and daughter. After kissing them, he turns to his blood brother. "I would never think that I would miss you this much, you sack full of crap." Aggi's laughter rumbles and he hugs Gunar.

"Shut up, you old flea-bag," Gunar returns playfully and taps Aggi on his back.

"Dagni and I have prepared your favorite meal," Brita says softly, "roasted meat with vegetables. And you should eat it while it's still hot."  
"Great. I will take Ulrika to the stable and join you in a short while." Aggi turns to his son. "Castiel, go and help your mother." Brita knows that the men need to talk about something and gives a short, understanding nod.

"Come, children, quickly. Help me set the table." She guides them to the house.

"So, did you see him? Did you talk?" Gunar asks impatiently.

"Yes, we talked and he agreed to accept Castiel at Blazing Blades." Aggi tugs at Ulrika's reins and takes the horse into the stable. He gives her freshly cut grass to eat.

"That's good to hear. And when do you want to take him there?" Gunar crosses his arms on his chest.

Aggi finishes pouring water for Ulrika and puts the bucket down. "We leave tomorrow, early in the morning. The sooner the better." The man walks out of the stable. "Hurry up, I am starving!" he calls over his shoulder.

Gunar stands there, dumbstruck. Of course he knew that Castiel would have to leave the house, but he had not assumed that it would happen so quickly. Gunar rubs his face and groans. Tomorrow will be a very hard day.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor, little Cas.....

Three hours are left till dawn when Sam wakes up to a shuffling noise. He straightens in his armchair that has become his bed and rubs his eyes.

"Dean?" Sam asks with a sleepy voice. "What are you doing?"

His older brother is out of his bed, roaming around the room in the darkness. The candle has faded out and it's pitch dark in the chamber (though that's not a problem for demons and their perfect eyesight).

Dean curses under his breath when he gets caught off guard by his brother and freezes to the spot. He's got a new pair of trousers on and holds his shirt in a firm grip.

"Hey Sammy," Dean croaks and grins awkwardly. "Nice dreams?"

The younger demon gets up and walks towards his brother. "Why are you up?" His eyes try to drill holes into Dean's forehead.

"I just got thirsty and wanted to get some water," Dean tries to convince his brother.

"Right… water. And you had to get dressed for that." Sam puts his hand on the older demon's shoulder as if trying to hold him where he stands.

"Mhm. Yes. Exactly." Dean nods and resists the urge to look away from his brother's strict eyes.

"Liar," Sam snaps, sounding angry. "I know all your expressions, Dean. What are you planning?"

Dean gives up. He knows he can't fool his own brother. There isn't even a small detail that they don't know about each other.

"I'm going back to the village to find that little piece of shit," he growls.

And with that Sam's initial assumption gets confirmed. "You're not going anywhere," he says calmly.

Dean stares at the younger demon, slightly surprised. Then he bursts into laughter. "Trust me Sammy, I'm going."

"You're too weak, Dean! And if that's not enough, how are you going to sneak out of the castle?" Sam gesticulates fervently. "You'll never pass the guards at the gates."

Dean puts his shirt on and attaches his sword to the leather belt. "I'll be fine, Sam. The wound is still there, but it doesn't hurt that much, and the bleeding has stopped."

"But what about the guards? Alastair will not be pleased if he hears about this, Dean!" Sam is clinging to his last hope to keep Dean from going.

"I'll deal with the guards. And if it doesn't work, I know where the secret exit is." Dean winks at his brother. "But that'd be a real hassle, so I hope I don't have to go through it."

Sam throws his hands in the air. "Fine… I am coming with you too."

"Alright," Dean says after a short silence. "Let's go."

Two shadows sneak out of the chamber into the dimly lit corridor. There is no one to stop them and they reach the gates with no troubles.  
  
"Sammy, cheer up!" Dean laughs and slaps his brother on the back. "See? That wasn't that hard. I know these fellows. For a good amount of gold, they will do anything!"

Sam is still grim faced, his lips just a thin line. Rage feels his master's foul mood and shakes his head, snorting. "Whatever, Dean. But remember, no galloping! We're going to go slow. Do you understand me?"

Dean pats Impala's head and grins. "Yes Mother, calm down."

The walk to the village takes little more than an hour. As they get near, Dean can feel that something is off. His green eyes scan his surroundings attentively, trying to catch the smallest details.

"Something isn't right," he says, looking at the trees in front of them.

"Yes, I can feel it too," Sam agrees.

The horses manage to make a few more steps towards the entrance of the village and then stop.

"What the fuck?" Dean curses and dismounts Impala. Sam does the same, unsheathing his sword.

Dean tries to take a step forward, but in vain. He gets tensed and pants, gathering all of his strength to try once again, but with no luck.

"It's as if there's a force keeping us from entering the village. What did these silly humans do?" Dean mumbles under his breath.

"I think they put up protection around the village. Let me check." Sam drops his sword on the ground and starts to climb the nearest tree. "Sorry, Dean but we can't go any further!" Sam shouts down. "I can see white stones on the ground and they are forming protective runes, preventing us from getting near."

After hearing the reason, Dean flares up in rage. He has come all the way from the castle and for what? Only to be stopped by some magic stone circles? And when he is so near to his target!

"Son of a bitch!" Dean yells at the top of his lungs and punches the tree Sam has climbed up. Its force almost sends Sam flying down.

"Oh, for the underworld's sake!" Sam yelps, frightened.

Dean doesn't wait for his brother, mounting his horse urgently to leave the place. Despite his promise to Sam, he tells Impala to gallop. Dean's ears ring and his blood turns into melting lava in his rage. Wrath and frustration have overtaken him, burning away all other emotions. He feels helpless and it drives him crazy. His terrifying roars rip the night's silence apart…

* * *

"Father, where are we going?" Castiel is excited after he hears that Aggi wants to take him to a special place.

"A good friend of mine wants to see you. And there are a lot of little boys like you there. I am sure you will like it, my son." Aggi smiles and tries to look at anything but his son.

Brita and Dagni are standing in front of their small house. Aggi checks the saddle, reins, stirrups, and every small detail before they go.

"Castiel, darling, be a good boy." Brita's voice quivers and tears well up in her eyes. "I love you, my boy," she whispers and kisses her son all over his face.

"I love you too, mother." Castiel wraps his arms around her neck and kisses her on the cheek.

Dagni gives her mother a questioning look. She does not know what is happening, but unpleasant doubts tug at her mind and judging by her mother's behavior, something bad is going on. When she hugs her little brother, something screams inside her head that she will not see Castiel for a very long time. Her grip is so tight around Castiel that Aggi has to separate the siblings.

"Give us your blessings," Aggi says after he mounts Ulrika. Castiel sits in front of his father; his little feet dangle from the horse.

Brita forces herself to smile. "May the gods protect you from evil."

Aggi nods and spurs Ulrika into motion. Brita and Dagni still can hear Castiel's singing even after they have ridden off behind a hill.

"Mother, what is happening?" Dagni frowns and stares at Brita, waiting for the answer.

"There's something you should know. Something happened before you came back from your grandparents'," Brita begins.

Dagni's knuckles turn white as she clenches her fists. "Tell me everything."

Brita nods and tells her all that has happened: the invasion, the demon encounter, Aggi's decision about Castiel, and Blazing Blades. "We will not see Castiel for twenty summers," she finishes. Brita does not fight her tears anymore.

Dagni looks at her in horror. But then suddenly, she pales and her eyes roll back in her head.

"Dagni!" Brita screams and rushes to her unconscious daughter's side.

She grabs her and rocks back and forth. The pain of seeing her daughter this way is too much and her sobbing turns into screams that are directed at the skies above.

* * *

They reach Blazing Blades on the evening of the third day of riding. Castiel sleeps against his father's chest. His childish, adorable face looks peaceful, despite the exhausting road.

After a short talk with the watchmen, the gates open and Aggi enters the yard. Tory is there waiting for him. His smile widens when he sees Aggi and his son.

"Glad to see you, my friend," he greets Aggi. "And this little boy must be Castiel?"

Castiel stirs and opens his eyes. He looks around, still drowsy. His blue eyes land on Tory and stare at him curiously.

"Yes, this is my son Castiel." Aggi dismounts Ulrika and puts his son down on the ground. "Castiel, this is Lord Tory," father tells him.

"Are you my father's friend?" Castiel asks the man.

"Yes, my boy. Your father and I became good friends." Tory laughs and ruffles Castiel's dark locks. "Do you want to look around?"

"Yes, my lord, I would love to see the place." Castiel's eyes light up as he sees young warriors training in the farthest corner.

"Good, I'll give you a guide. Meanwhile, your father and I will have a talk. Haki, come here." Tory turns to a little boy who plays nearby. The boy obeys immediately and runs towards him.

"Yes, milord?"

"This is Castiel. Take him to the kitchen, feed him, and then show him around, will you?" Tory asks gently.

"Of course, milord." Haki smiles. "I am Haki, nice to meet you Castiel." He reaches his hand out.

Castiel accepts it with a huge grin, excited that he has already made a new friend.

"Come on." Haki urges him and the boys run away.

"Will you stay for supper?" Tory asks Aggi as soon as the boys disappear behind the stables.

"No," Aggi shakes his head. "I should leave immediately. I will not be able to stand my son's tears."

Tory nods knowingly. "I know. It will be hard. I wish you had an opportunity to rest but, alas!"

"Please do not worry about me, I will be fine. Just take care of my son." Aggi takes Ulrika's reins into his hand.

"Of course." Tory walks towards the gates with Aggi. "Goodbye, Aggi. May the Gods give you and your family many years of good health, so you can meet your son when he is all grown up," Tory tells the man as the watchmen open the gates for him.

"Thank you for everything. And tell my son that I beg for his forgiveness." Aggi swallows hard and Ulrika gallops away.

* * *

"This is where little children like us, sleep. The next house is for olders." Haki explains to Castiel, who swallows his new friend's every word greedily.

"We get up early in the mornings, wash ourselves, have martial arts lessons with master Tory and afterwards have breakfast. Then we have a few hours for ourselves, then training again, supper, and sleep. You'll get used it," Haki states assuredly.

"But I will not be staying here." Castiel sounds confused. "My father brought me with him to meet his friend. We will leave tomorrow."

Haki looks at him in sympathy. "So, that's what your father told you?"

"Yes. Why are you looking at me like that?" Castiel's heart drops and he feels fear spreading through his body.

"I am sorry Castiel, but your father lied to you. You will not see your family until you are twenty five." Haki looks at the ground.

"No, that's not true." Castiel's chin quivers. "My father is talking to lord Tory and waiting for me."

"I am sorry," Haki mumbles again and starts to walk away.

"You are lying," Castiel screams at him and runs to the place where he left Aggi and Tory. There's no one there.

"Father?" Castiel stands in the middle of the yard, looking terrified and lost.

"Castiel?" Tory's gentle voice calls his name and a hand lands on the boy's shoulder.

"Where is my father? I want to see my father!" Castiel wails, angry tears flowing down his cheeks like a river.

"Your father is not here. He has left you here to protect you. He loves you very much, Castiel. You must understand that. When you grow up you will understand better why he left you here. Come here, my boy." Tory squats in front of Castiel and pulls the violently hiccupping boy into an embrace.

"I want to go ho-oome. I want to be with my parents and ss-sisteeer….." Castiel's small body is shaking in Tory's arms as the boy sheds tears on the man's chest, making his tunic wet.

"You will go and see them when you are older." Tory stands up and carries Castiel to the children's bedchamber.

Tory sits on the edge of Castiel's bed, caressing the boy's soft hair. He knows how hard it must be for this little child and tries to comfort him.

Castiel sobs and sniffles; his eyes are red, swollen and stinging from nonstop crying.

"Sleep son, you will feel better in the morning," Tory whispers to the boy and leaves him in the darkness.

Castiel clutches his pillow and whimpers miserably. Despite the fact that he's surrounded by many people, he feels horribly alone. The faces of his mother, father, and sister surface in his mind and silent tears flow again.

The thing Castiel does not know is that in those minutes, somewhere in the woods, Aggi sits at a small fire and sheds bitter tears too.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter two sexy warriors ;) Enjoy :)

The road is tiring. The weather does not help either; heat and the rain replace each other with unbelievable speed. The ground is a mess. At one place his horse's hooves sink into the mud, and after a few steps a dried and solid surface stretches under them.

He feels exhausted and needs to rest. The night is approaching and he will need a shelter 'til the morning. He knows that he will not reach the nearest village until daylight, so the only choice he has is to stay in the woods to let his horse rest and get some sleep himself.

"I know you are tired, but please hold on for a little more. I will let you rest soon," the rider says softly and scratches his horse behind its ear. The animal just snorts, as if understanding the owner's words, and obediently walks towards the forest.

Once they stop, starting a fire is easy, as there are a lot of cones and moss around. It's still chilly in the evenings even though it's summer. It's always cold in mountainous areas.

The horse is tied to a tree and has had enough food and water for the night. Sitting near a small fire feels nice. The rider roasts some meat and takes some bread out of his bag. He does not forget a flask of ale either.

"I wish you could talk, my friend. I'm getting bored." The man looks at the horse and chuckles. He wraps himself in a grey cloak and stares into the fire. No one can tell what he thinks about, but from the faint smile on his lips, it's not hard to guess that they are pleasant memories.

He sits motionless, gazing at the sparks, until the fire starts to die out. The man decides that it's time to sleep and spreads some soil over the embers to prevent a possible fire.

"Well, good night to you," the man mumbles to his horse and lies on the dried grass, which he already gathered earlier for his bedding. He uses the cloak as a blanket and puts his sword near his right hand. You never know what to expect in the woods, especially at night.

He sleeps peacefully until the dawn, then something wakes him. It's a sound of whispering. After listening for a moment, he can distinguish three different voices. Then a branch snaps and someone curses under his breath. Robbers. Of course they're robbers. They are everywhere these days, trying to find easy prey. The man feigns sleep as the men talk.

"Look at this horse. We can get a lot for it!" one of the voices says.

"True. These kind of horses cost a lot of money," another raspy voice says. "Go and check him, I sense he has a lot of money in his pouch."

A fat man with a short sword turns around to go and check the sleeping man's pockets, but yelps, when he sees the man, who no longer sleeps right in front of him.

"I would not suggest you doing that," his deep voice says. "Get away from my horse, if you want to live."

"I don't think you are in a place to be threatening anyone. You are outnumbered, my boy!" says the leader of the robbers. "I would advise you to give us this horse and your money, and if you beg for mercy, we might let you live." The man barks out a laugh and his comrades join him with toothless grins.

"I don't think so." The answer is short but determined.

"As you wish!"

The fat man with his short sword strikes first. He definitely counts on his weight and force to win battles, but he cannot fool an experienced warrior, and that's who the rider is. He easily blocks the man's blows and with one swift strike cuts his head off.

The leader and the other man with an axe attack at the same time. The bald man throws his axe at the warrior, who shows amazing skills of flexibility. He bends back, almost in half, and the axe flies over his head, plunging into a tree. He quickly straightens, pulling the weapon out.

"I think this is yours. Here, have it back." He throws the axe at its owner, smashing the man's skull.

The group's leader tries his best not to show fear, but it's reflected in his eyes. He measures every step and plans each move in advance, not wishing to share the same fate as his dead friends. He lunges forward and does some strange maneuvers with his sword, probably thinking about confusing his rival.

The man strikes his following blow, but his opponent whirls around, bringing his sword down on the robber. The steel cuts the man from his shoulder to the navel. Instantly, blood pours out of his mouth and he hits the ground with gargling sounds, choking on his own blood.

"You asked for it. I never wished for your death." The warrior wipes the blood off of the steel and sheathes his sword.

"Come, my friend, there's nothing left for us here." He unties the horse, gathers his belongings, and mounts the animal to resume his long and tiring trip. At least the sun has risen and the weather promises to be wonderful.

* * *

"I apologize for my effrontery, but could you give me some water, please?"

A beautiful woman with a swollen belly stops clipping a chicken's wings and raises her head after hearing the polite request. She sees a young and very handsome warrior on a horse, who smiles gently at her. The woman's heart starts to pound fast in her chest; something is very familiar about this man. She stands up and takes a few steps towards the warrior. The chicken, long forgotten, runs away cackling.

She stops near the horse, her eyes never leaving the stranger's face. The woman stares hard, as if trying to remember where she has seen this face, but she can't, until she sees his eyes. She makes a choking sound.

"Castiel…"

Her hands raise up in a helpless entreaty as tears stream down her lovely face. "Brother… You have come back…"

Castiel dismounts the horse and wraps her up in his tight embrace. "Dagni… my lovely Dagni… Look at you. You have turned into a beautiful woman," he mumbles and kisses her forehead. "Where are our parents?" he asks her after her sobs subdue.

"They are inside with my daughter Eydis," Dagni replies, smiling and wiping her tears off.

"How many children do you have?" Castiel asks curiously and touches her belly gingerly.

"I am expecting my second child in two months."

"So much time has passed," Castiel sighs. "The house still looks the same though."

"I will take your horse to the stable. You go see our parents," Dagni tells him.

"Yes, thank you."

* * *

Brita screams when she sees her grown up boy and falls down on her knees, wrapping herself around Castiel's legs, weeping bitterly. Castiel bites his lip to stay calm and hurriedly helps the woman rise to her feet.

"Mother, please." He holds her in his strong arms and hums happily. Castiel's parents have aged, but they still look good and healthy.

Aggi's eyes silently beg for forgiveness before he crushes his son into a hug. "Welcome back, my son!" He cannot hold his tears back.

"Father, it's good to see you!" Castiel's voice is thick with emotion.

"Grandfather, who is this man?" a child's voice asks suddenly. It's a little girl with two blonde braids and green eyes. She is no more than seven.

"Are you Eydis?" Castiel asks the child and gets a nod in response. "I am your uncle Castiel." He squats in front of the girl and takes her little hand in his own.

"Hello, Uncle Castiel." Unexpectedly Eydis wraps her little arms around the man's neck.

When all the emotions and tears are shed, Brita and Dagni set the table, while Eydis refuses to leave her uncle's side and sits in his lap, asking various questions.

"Dinner is ready. Please, come," Brita announces and the family gathers around the table. It's a simple meal, but everything tastes delicious. A chunk of bread from home can be much tastier than the most expensive meal in the foreign lands.

"My son," Aggi begins after they eat enough to appease their hunger. "I am pleased to see you, but we were not expecting you for another two summers. What happened?"

Castiel smiles and puts his mug down on the table. He parts his cloak to reveal a red symbol embroidered sign on his tunic.

It's a sword wreathed in flames: the symbol of Blazing Blades.

"Yes, I was not supposed to return until it had been twenty summers, but I proved to be an excellent pupil and mastered all the skills faster than rest of my peers, so master Tory had to let me go before my due time." There are obvious notes of gratitude and respect in Castiel's voice when he mentions his teacher's name.

"I see…" Aggi mumbles. So, it appears they are still stuck with the number twenty-three. Castiel might have been safe had he returned when he was twenty-five, but his fate could not be changed, apparently. At least not much time is left 'til he turns twenty-four – only six months. Therefore, it should not be that bad. Aggi can keep an eye on his son until then.

Castiel opens his mouth to ask a question when something hits his legs under the table. He looks down and sees a big, white puppy with a black mark on its forehead.

"Hello, there." Castiel laughs at the puppy and it waggles its tail, yelping excitedly.

"It's Snowball," Eydis tells him. "I named him," she adds proudly.

As the evening approaches, Dagni gets ready to leave. She has to go back to her husband, who is busy adding onto their house before they welcome the newest member of their family. Eydis takes her rag doll and bids her goodbyes.

"I will see you soon, Uncle Castiel," she chirps before going outside the house.

"Of course, my lovely." Castiel kisses her gently and walks outside with his other family members to see his sister off. She lives in the same village, nearby their house.

The rest of the evening is spent telling various stories. It's mostly Castiel who talks while his parents listen. He tells about his life and training at Blazing Blades. Aggi asks him to tell him more about Tory, as he likes the man a lot. Castiel recalls everything he can about his teacher, who had substituted a father figure for him during all those years.

Aggi yawns and stretches; it's already late. They have been talking for hours and hardly even noticed the time passing.

"Get some sleep, my son, it's late. We can talk tomorrow too, it's not like you are in hurry." Aggi laughs heartily and pats his son on the shoulder.

Brita caresses Castiel's dark hair. "Darling, I made up your bed. Have some rest."

"Thank you, Mother." Castiel kisses her palm. "I think I will sit outside for a while and have some fresh air, then go to bed."

"Well, good night then, and see you in the morning." Aggi and Brita leave their son and go back to their bedroom.

Castiel stands up and goes outside. It's a bright night with a full moon shining in the sky. The young man inhales the fresh night air deeply and sits down on a wooden bench. He looks at the faraway mountains, covered in snow. He has missed this place so much.

The door behind him creaks and Snowball sneaks out. He sits near Castiel, licking his hand.

"What? Can't sleep either?" Castiel chuckles and pats the dog on the head. Snowball waggles his tail and puts his paws on the young warrior's thigh, jumping into his lap.

"Good boy." Castiel slides his fingers through the dog's thick fur.

Suddenly Snowball pricks his ears, raising his head. He jumps from Castiel's lap and turns towards the woods. The dog starts to bark, as if answering someone's call.

"Hush, what is it?" Castiel tries to calm the dog down, but Snowball runs away from him, rushing towards the forest. "Hey, come back!" Castiel runs after the little fool, trying to catch it, but of course the dog is faster. It runs right into the woods.

Castiel stops dead in his tracks. He remembers that they have no right to enter the forest, as it is the demons' lair, and decides to turn around and leave when Snowball's miserable yelping gets his attention. When Castiel realizes the dog is in danger, he enters the forest without a moment's hesitation.

Immediately, he feels a change in the air. It's thick, heavy, and terrifying. It's like he has entered a different realm.

"Snowball, come back," Castiel hisses and makes cautious steps towards some bushes, in hope that the dog is in there. He parts them, but there is nothing. Then, to his right he sees a pile of big stones and goes to have a look behind them when there is a snapping sound.

"Who's here?" Castiel's voice sounds calm, but guarded. "Come out, I will not harm you."

"I would love to see you try!" laughs a deep voice from somewhere behind the trees.

"Who are you? Come out and show your face!" Castiel spins around in an attempt to see the stranger. He can't tell where the voice is coming from, because it sounds as if it is coming from every direction. Indeed, this is a strange place.

There is a brief silence, and then some shuffling and rustling. A tall figure wearing a dark hooded cloak comes out under the moonlight. From the way the material wraps around his body, Castiel can tell that he has broad shoulders and a muscled chest.

"What are you doing in this forest? Don't you know that there are dangerous creatures that lurk around this place?" the stranger asks and there is something in his voice that sends chills down Castiel's spine. His mind starts to scream at him to run and not look back.

"I am trying to find my puppy. He ran into this forest. I followed, but I cannot find him." Castiel gulps nervously. With each passing second he understands that the figure before him is not human.

"Oh, how sweet," the voice croons. "I suppose you were looking for this?" The cloak parts and Castiel sees Snowball in the stranger's hold.

"Please, don't hurt it, and give it back to me," Castiel pleads.

"Hurt it? You should be thanking me for saving it," the stranger laughs heartily.

"Saving it from what?" Castiel demands.

"Well, you know there are wild beasts here that could easily devour your puppy… And there are creatures much worse than wild animals." The hooded figure practically purrs and Castiel can swear that he can see a smirk on his well-hidden face. "Anyway, here is your dog." The stranger throws the dog at Castiel and he manages to catch it.

"Who are you? Show me your face," Castiel whispers and stares at the man, trying his best to see even a small detail.

"My name is Dean. And if you insist that you must see my face…" chuckles the man and grabs his hood to pull it off.

As soon as the moonlight illuminates his face and green eyes blaze like a wild animal's in the darkness, Castiel gasps and takes a few steps back. Demon! It's a demon!

"Stay where you are, or I swear I will cut you in half!" he growls warningly.

The demon throws his hands up in a mock pleading. "Please, have mercy! I'm so frightened! I know that you can cut me in half… with your bare hands."

Castiel grabs for his sword only to find out that he has left it at home. He starts to retreat, while Dean walks towards him with a sly smile dancing on his full lips.

Castiel's back hits a tree and he feels trapped. He cannot fight the demon off with his bare hands, it's suicide. But that doesn't mean he won't try.

"Get away from me!" he snarls menacingly at the smirking demon.

"Or what?" Dean leans forward. "You'll hurt me, pretty boy?" He traces a finger along the human's jaw.

Castiel's nostrils flare and he clenches his fist to punch the bastard in the face, but Dean catches his fist without blinking.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I don't think so." He winks at Castiel. "I would not suggest you make me angry; it will not end well for you."

"What do you want from me?" Castiel struggles to break free and Snowball makes it even more difficult.

"I can already think of a few things..." Dean smiles wickedly and his eyes flash with green light once again. "Delicious, sinful things."

"No," Castiel simply objects. "You will not get them, whatever it is you want."

Dean squints his eyes and tilts his head to the side. "Maybe not now, but soon." To Castiel's astonishment, the demon moves away, taking his hands off of the tree and unblocking the human's way.

"Go," Dean says simply. "Before I change my mind."

Castiel opens and closes his mouth like a fish cast ashore. He does not know what to say. "Thank you," he mumbles and walks hurriedly with the dog in his arms to leave the forest before the demon changes his mind.

"See you soon, pretty boy," Dean calls after him.

The human turns around and stares at the smirking creature. Despite being a demon, he is very attractive. Are all the demons this handsome? Castiel shakes his head to get rid of the weird thoughts.

"I do not think so, Dean," he tells the demon and does not wait for the answer, walking out of the forest.

"Oh, but I do. This will not be our last meeting, I promise you that, Blue Eyes." Dean stares at the shrinking figure in the distance with a sly smile.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some 'smutty' chapter.
> 
> Warning for non-con. It does not happen in reality, but still be aware.

_Castiel walks out of the forest, telling himself firmly that he will not look back to where he has left the smirking demon. Snowball whines in his arms and licks the young warrior's face, as if apologizing for getting him into this mess._

_"It's alright, we're fine, see? He can't harm us. It's all over." Castiel pats the puppy._

_Snowball slips out of his owner's arms and runs forward, barking. Then some strange things start to happen._

_Castiel can no longer see the dog or hear its yelping. The meadow, which he has to cross to get home, changes its appearance. The small path vanishes in a thick row of hundred year old trees – which appear out of nowhere, like mushrooms after the rain._

_"What's happening?" Castiel mumbles, astonished, and tries to see through the thick curtain of mist that envelopes him._

_Boom… Boom… Boom…_

_Where is the noise coming from? It sounds like a hundred war drums rolling. It takes Castiel a few minutes to realize that it's the sound of his pounding heart. The young warrior curses himself for being so absentminded by leaving his sword at home. Something terrible lurks around in this mist and he is helpless._

_He goes to the nearest tree and tears a thick branch off. The young warrior plucks the leaves and small twigs off, trying to make it look like a sword, or at least a decent weapon. He knows it's just a poor resemblance of his sword, but still, it provides him some protection and confidence._

_Castiel practically swims forward in the heavy layer of mist, shuffling his feet in search of the solid ground underneath. Little animals rustle in the bushes, squeaking and shrieking. An owl hoots above Castiel's head, probably telling a sad tale._

_And then all the noises are gone. Dead silence falls. The blue-eyed man recalls all the dreadful and eerie stories that he heard at Blazing Blades, and when he was a young child. They say that a long time ago, a king lived in these lands with a heart blacker than underworld's abyss. He had done so many wrongs throughout his life that after his death, the world of dead refused to accept his soul and he had been damned for eternity to roam the earth, neither living nor dead, in the place where he killed so many innocent people. The tale says that the damned king appears with a thick mist and hunts whoever may cross his path._

_Castiel shakes the crazy thoughts off and continues his walk with determination to leave this cursed place._

_The mist disperses a little before him and he cannot help but cry out: he has entered the forest once again._

_"What kind of sorcery is this?" Castiel hisses and turns around towards the exit but, but his surroundings shift and change._

_He gasps and pales when he sees the familiar bushes and pile of rocks, the ones he had only just seen a few minutes before, knowing well what it means: the forest doesn't want him to leave, so it won't let him._

_Castiel mumbles prayers to all existing deities as wild fear seizes him. His numb and trembling fingers close tightly around the makeshift weapon in his hand while his wide open blue eyes scan the area for a possible approaching enemy._

_A new, distant sound catches Castiel's attention. It gets near and the young warrior, with a dry mouth and quickly thudding heart, realizes that it's clattering of a horse's hooves. He takes a few steps back, ready to attempt to flee, when a dark horse appears out of the shadows. It carries a rider clad in black armor. A long, scarlet cloak dangles over the saddle, brushing the earth's surface. The rider's right hand rests on the hilt of the massive full-blade attached to his belt._

_The figure, whose face is hidden behind a tall helmet with horns, stops on higher ground, staring at Castiel. The horse bobs its head up and down and snorts. Fumes and sparks leak out of its nostrils. Castiel barely wastes a second before he turns around and sprints away at top speed._

_The rider kicks the horse in its sides and the animal rears, letting out a deafening neigh. Castiel keeps running between the trees, jumping over small bushes and panting heavily. He is fast, but he knows that he cannot outrun a horse. The young man turns his head to look at his chaser only to find out that the creature has caught up with him. Castiel turns right and instantly stumbles on the root of an old, dead tree. He cries out and falls to the ground. His makeshift sword falls out of his hold and rolls down a slope towards some berry bushes._

_Castiel rolls over and finds himself facing the terrifying creature of darkness. The rider dismounts the horse and walks towards the fallen man, who flounders and tries to crawl away from him._

_"Get away from me!" Castiel yells at the creature and miraculously manages to jump to his feet, only to resume the cat-and-mouse game._

_Small twigs and branches snap under his feet as he runs through the forest. He does not know how long he will be able to run, but he will not yield easily, that's for sure. Castiel's feverish mind tries to find a solution to his situation when something hisses through the air and wraps around his ankles. It's bollas – a throwing weapon made of weights on the ends of interconnected cords for entangling legs. He shouts out and thuds painfully to the ground. Castiel may be fast, but the creature is much faster and he does not give the young warrior enough time to free himself. He lowers himself and presses his knee against Castiel's back, pinning him to the ground. It's an overwhelming force, preventing Castiel from turning over. He could hardly even breathe under the crushing weight, let alone move._

_The black rider grabs Castiel's arms, twisting them painfully, and ties them with a rope. Castiel pants and writhes under him in futile efforts to break free._

_"Let me go, you bastard! What do you think you're doing?" he yells desperately and tries to kick the attacker with his still tied feet. He does not stop cursing and snarling until the rider gags him with a silk handkerchief. After he does so, he flips his prey onto his back._

_Castiel's eyes are wide and frightened, his breath labored. He lies on the ground immobilized, all tied up and at the mercy of his rival. The rider stares at him for a few seconds before grabbing Castiel's arms, hauling him up. The young warrior understands the creature's plan to drag him away and struggles with his fading strength._

_The rider, tired from his victim's vain efforts, picks him up like a small child and throws him across his shoulder. Castiel's breath hitches and the thoughts of further attempts of escaping leave him when a hand covered in a steel gauntlet snakes around his waist, holding him firmly against the shoulder._

_Even his muffled and weak protests die out when the rider throws him across the saddle and mounts the horse. In another second, Castiel finds himself blindfolded._

_The riding lasts for a long time. The young warrior cannot figure out exactly how many hours have passed, but he presumes no less than three. He shivers unwillingly when the horse stops. They are at the creature's lair, he assumes. His heart beats frantically like a small, vulnerable caged bird against his kidnapper's shoulder when he carries Castiel inside a dark and fathomless cave…_

_He is thrown on something soft and warm. Strong hands grab his ankles and… remove the bollas. Castiel stops breathing for a moment. All his instincts and senses sharpen and he tries to guess where his kidnapper stands. A hand touches his mouth, the fingers slightly brushing over his bottom lip before they pull the gag out._

_"What do you want from me?" Castiel shouts as soon as he is able to talk._

_"Shhh…" is the rider's only reply._

_Castiel can hear a shuffling to his right and he turns his head towards the noise. He feels something cold against his wrists – a steel blade. It cuts the rope there, freeing the young man's wrists, but before Castiel comes to and pushes his kidnapper away, his hands are tied up above his head._

_"What…" Castiel's voice is hoarse. He tugs at the ropes, but they are tied to the stone wall with a disturbing precision._

_Something rattles loudly and Castiel jumps a little on his mattress. He knows he has heard the sound many times before, at Blazing Blades. It's the sound of armor clattering to the floor._

_He goes rigid when the mattress bends under extra weight. Castiel shakes his head furiously to get rid of the damn blindfold that prevents him from seeing what's happening. Then a steel blade touches his throat and Castiel's breath hitches. He stills and waits for his death. He will not whimper or beg for mercy. He is a warrior and will meet a warrior's death._

_"Do it! Go on, kill me! What are you waiting for, you son of a bitch!" he snarls at the creature._

_The blade travels down his throat and presses a little harder against the fabric, cutting the material easily. Castiel tries to kick his attacker off with his legs, but the creature catches and stills them. He parts them easily, despite his prey's struggling, and kneels between them. In the next instant, Castiel's hips lift up and his ass is pressed against the creature's groin._

_The young man blushes furiously when he feels an obvious erection against his ass and tries to creep away. The only thing he achieves is a hard slap on his hip and a low growl, so Castiel stops his efforts. He tries to lie still, but his legs shake treacherously._

_The hands part the torn tunic, revealing what's beneath it. The ruined fabric is quickly thrown aside. Castiel feels the fingers exploring his body. They caress him with a strange tenderness. The fingertips barely touch his skin and Castiel gasps at the feeling. He has never ever felt anything like this before._

_"Please…" he says with a trembling voice. "Please stop…"_

_"Shhh…" Two fingers touch his full lips, silencing him._

_Castiel stifles his cry when the fingers on his lips are replaced with a hot mouth and a tongue. It licks his neck, leaving a long wet stripe down to his collarbone. The young warrior whimpers and tugs at the ropes once again. The tongue circles his left nipple, teasing it ruthlessly._

_"P-please d-don't…" Castiel stutters and trails off when he feels teeth around his nipple that graze it slightly._

_The hands become bolder and they grope and knead the victim’s flesh shamelessly. They squeeze his hips and thighs. A small whimper escapes Castiel's mouth when the creature starts rutting against him._

_What's happening is wrong, so wrong. The young man’s mind knows this… but his body has different thoughts. He can't help the sensations that spread fast throughout his body. Castiel moans loudly when other pair of lips cover his own and a hot tongue slides into his mouth._

_For the love of Gods, it burns. It burns, but so deliciously. Castiel arches his back when the lips leave his mouth and trail hot kisses from his neck to his navel. Then the kisses stop and after a few minutes of silence, the fingers start to fumble with the blue-eyed man’s trousers._

_Castiel's mind may be clouded and hazed, but he still knows what is about to happen and doesn't want it at all._

_"N-no… Don't… D-don't do this…" he whispers and tries to crawl up the mattress, but only gets a harder, more painful slap to his hip._

_There is an exasperated growl and the hands basically tear his trousers off. And Castiel is left there stark naked and with his hands tied to the wall. There is more shuffling and rustling and the young warrior realizes that it's the creature fumbling with his own trousers. He swallows hard as panic sinks its sharp teeth into his mind._

_Castiel is judging what is happening around him by sounds, and from that he thinks the creature's clothes join his own on the floor. Before he has time to react, Castiel's body gets covered by other, heavier one. His legs are wrapped around the other's waist and he lies like a pinned butterfly. He can feel hot and heavy breath on his face._

_The creature's hand reaches for the blindfold and slowly removes it from Castiel's eyes. The young man cries out in fear when he sees the familiar, smug look._

_"Hello, pretty boy…" Dean smirks and pats Castiel's thigh…_

Castiel wakes up with a hoarse shout. Every cell of his body, his pores and hair, are soaked with cold sweat. With shaking hands, he rubs his face and tries to calm his ragged breathing.

"Mother of all Gods…" Castiel whispers and closes his eyes. He startles when a lone wolf howls from the forest, probably searching for its mate.

He falls down on his bed, eyes staring at the ceiling. He would never think that his encounter with the demon would turn into such a nightmare… an erotic nightmare.  
"Go away, Dean. Leave me alone," Castiel breathes. His eyes don't stop staring at the ceiling until the dawn. Only after the sun rises is he able to fall into a dreamless sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mmhm, Dean is on a 'hunt' ;) And guess who's his prey? ;)

"You seem to be in a very good mood." Sam stops before his brother, who sits on the bed sharpening his sword, whistling a merry melody. "Any particular reason?"

Dean raises his head and winks at him. A mysterious grin stretches on his lips and the demon's eyes twinkle. Sam knows this look.

"Oh, no!" the younger demon groans. "You've found another victim for your wicked desires, right?" Of course it must be that. His older brother gets this cheeky look when he's after someone to get them into his bed.

"Tremendous applause for you, Sammy," Dean laughs and puts the sword aside, deciding it's sharp enough for his liking.

It's been a while since Dean has had a sexual desire for someone. There are some female servants at Alastair's castle, but he has never shown any great interest in them. There have been a couple of drunk fuckings with the other male demons, but a long time has passed since then. Sam knows it must be someone new.

"Who is it?" Sam sits down beside Dean and waits for the answer. Suddenly, the older demon huffs angrily, standing up. He paces around the chamber, but stops abruptly when Sam snaps at him. "Talk to me!"

"I don't know his name," Dean snarls and curses silently for not asking the human about the name.

"So it's a him, not a her," Sam nods understandingly. Like many demons, Dean likes both sexes equally. "And you don't know his name. That's great."

"Shut your mouth, Sam. I forgot to ask him. Everything happened so fast." Dean walks to a small window and stares at the forest.

"So he is not one of the Alastair's warriors, then." Sam narrows his eyes and thinks about other alternatives. There's only one more. If this person is not a demon, therefore he is…

"Human. He's a human…" Sam stares at his brother as if he has lost his mind.

Dean turns around and locks eyes with the younger demon’s slightly shocked ones. He can't help but chuckle at Sam's confused expression.

"Yes, Sammy, he is a human from the village." 

Sam stands up and teleports himself to grab Dean's shirt collar so quickly that his older brother does not have time to react.

"Have you lost your mind? Why would you sneak into the village? You could have been killed!" Sam yells and the vibrations of his voice shake the chamber walls. His eyes flash thunder and darken like a fathomless abyss.

Dean's breath gets caught in his throat for a moment and he stares at Sam, astonished. This is the first time he sees his brother enraged. Sam is the quiet, balanced one of the two brothers, while Dean is the hot-blooded pigheaded one who acts before thinking.

"Damn it, Sammy! I didn't sneak into the village!" Dean shouts and pushes Sam away. "He entered the forest."

"What?" Sam's voice is cold and strained. "But you know that they can't do that!"

"I know. He was chasing after his dog that ran into the forest and he followed." Dean grins at the memories and instinctively licks his lips.

"I don't like this," Sam states. "If Alastair finds out…"

"He won't!" Dean's voice cuts in and Sam flinches. "He will not find out. I'll make sure of it!"

Dean heads towards the door. "I need some fresh air." With these words he leaves the younger demon in the chamber.

Sam's frown deepens when he's left alone. He knows his brother's tastes. This human must be very nice looking, as looks are the first thing Dean notices in his prey. The younger demon shakes his head. He knows that the human does not stand a chance against his brother. Dean always gets what he wants.

* * *

Dean stops before a tall tree. There is a big raven sitting on it. The bird stares at the demon with its wise, curious eyes and tilts its head.

"I have a task for you," Dean smiles at the bird. The raven croaks and flaps its wings.

"Yeah, I know you're excited. Come, I'll show you." The demon holds his hand out. The raven leaves the branch it's sitting on and flies down towards Dean.

"Good bird," Dean chuckles when the raven sits on his forearm. "Now, memorize every detail."

The demon looks into the raven's eyes and transfers the images he's seen in the forest. "You know what to do." He pats the bird.

The raven croaks and flies towards the village. The demon throws his head back and laughs aloud. He feels victorious. "You cannot escape me, pretty boy."

* * *

"Father, tell me about the demons," Castiel asks Aggi after they finish their breakfast and sit outside.

Aggi stops contemplating the mountains and turns his gaze towards his son. "Why do you ask, my son?"

"Umm… I'm just curious. The forest is so near. How do the village people protect themselves from those creatures?" Castiel fidgets slightly when Dean's smirking face surfaces from the depths of his mind.

"When I took you to Blazing Blades, we had stones on the ground forming the runes of a protective spell," Aggi begins reluctantly.

"But I no longer see those stones," Castiel says.

"True. Just the stones were not enough. They had to be soaked in the blood of a white troll. We had maintained the stones for twelve winters, but the white trolls we needed to sustain it longer are very hard to find. Snow and rain would wash the blood away." Aggi puts his hand on his son's shoulder. His blue eyes are full of kindness.

"But, didn't you cover them, father?" Castiel does not understand. "They would've been kept safe from bad weathers."

Aggi laughs heartily. "No, my son, the spell would've lost its power if we'd hidden the stones under covers."

"I understand." Castiel mumbles. "So, what protection do we have now? Have they been attacking our village since then? I remember their first attack very vaguely. And I remember that I stabbed one of the demons. But I cannot recall much."

Aggi shakes his head. "No, we have not been attacked since then. We have a different type of protection now. Across the whole fence we have put the special mixture of herbs that all the demons fear. It's soaked in linseed oil and if they ever try to sneak into our village again, our archers will immediately set fire to the herbs."

"That's a good plan," Castiel chuckles.

"Yes, Tilda is a very wise woman," Aggi nods. "So, what are your plans now that you're here? I do not want you to be bored out of your mind."

"I don't know about the following days, but today I want to go and swim in our lovely river." Castiel smiles blissfully. "I've missed it so much."

"Good. I would also suggest making friends with the youth. Soon we will celebrate Summer God's day and I do not want to see you alone and sulking." Aggi's lips twitch when he sees Castiel's already pouting expression.

"But I never sulk, father!" Castiel exclaims indignantly.

"Oh, trust me, you do. And you're doing it right now." Aggi shakes from thunderous laughter. "Dear Gods… alright, go and swim in your river. And don't forget to take your sword with you. I don't think you will need it, but just in case."

Castiel snorts and stands up. "I'll go in an hour. More ale?"

Aggi raises his hands. "I can never have enough of good ale."

"True." Castiel laughs and goes inside the house to get more drink.

* * *

Dean stands near Impala and combs her mane with his fingers tenderly. The horse nuzzles her face against the demon's chest.

"My precious baby. You know that I love you, don't you?" Dean kisses her forehead. Demons are not made for love, but still there may be a few things they cherish. For Dean, it's his brother Sam and his gorgeous mare, Impala.

The horse bobs its head as a reply. She is truly splendid; her black skin glistens under the summer sun while a slight breeze plays with the long mane.

"Good girl," Dean chuckles and pats her on the side.

His affectionate moment is interrupted by a loud croak. Dean smirks before he raises his head, already knowing what it is.

"You are quick." The demon grins at the raven. "Got something for me?"

Another croak.

"Good, tell me everything."

Dean crosses the arms over his broad chest and listens very attentively to the noises the raven makes: they are nothing but harsh cawing and guttural sounds deep in its throat, but the demon understands it all. As the last note leaves the bird's throat, the young demon's face lights up with joy.

"Hmm… our little friend decided to go for a swim? Let's pay him a surprise visit, what do you say?" Dean winks at the raven. "Come for your prize tonight, I shall feed you the best grain we have." The bird, obviously satisfied, caws deafeningly and flies away.

"Well, let's go and see our little friend." Dean laughs and mounts Impala. "And let's hope that he will be alone, I have no wish to spill blood."

Dean's heart beats fast and his eyes blaze with lust as Impala rushes through the forest towards the river. The demon is on the hunt and he will get his prey.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some naked, sexy Cas ;)

Castiel doesn't know why he is so excited. Maybe it's because he has not been to his village for so many years and everything around seems fascinating. It also could be the approaching celebration of the Summer God's Day.

As Castiel remembers the Summer God's Day from his youth, it is one of the most important and loved festivities of the year. Every living soul in the village would wear wreaths made of wild flowers and small, green wheat buds. There would be a lot of dancing, singing, and laughing 'til late at night. The final part of the celebration would be a table set with various and delicious foods for the tired but happy people.

Castiel smiles as he recalls the last time he celebrated the Summer God's Day, at the age of four winters. He had never seen so many people together laughing, playing instruments and dancing. Castiel had decided to hide under a huge wooden table and observe from there. Everything had been going on well until someone's strong hands had grabbed and pulled him from under the table. Who else would it have been other than Gunar, his father's best friend and sworn brother?

 _'Looking at young girls, are you?_ ' His deep, rumbling voice still rings in Castiel's head, and the young warrior smiles at the fond memories as he walks out of the house with his sword attached to the belt.

"Father, I'll go now and will be back in a few hours," Castiel tells Aggi.

"Yes, but be careful, Castiel," Aggi cannot help himself from preaching. His son is not a little boy anymore, but still, he feels he has to.

Castiel rolls his eyes dramatically, but nods. "Yes, father. I will be very careful."

It's a perfect day, with a clear sky and summer heat. Birds chirp from the trees, bees buzz, and a small breeze stirs the grass and tiny yellow flowers. Castiel feels alive and happy. He inhales loudly, the heady scent of nature filling his lungs, and walks to the back exit of the village.

"Now, now, who do we have here?"

Castiel gasps slightly in surprise when he hears a familiar, deep voice and turns. "Gunar!"

"Of course it's me." The man hugs the young warrior with a crushing force and Castiel has hard time breathing. "We did not expect you for two more summers." Gunar still cannot believe his eyes.

"I know. It was my reward for being a quick, devoted learner." The young man notices that Gunar has not changed much. Just a few more wrinkles and two or three strands of grey hair. Other than that, he still looks as bulky and intimidating as always.

"I am so glad to see you, my boy." Gunar breaks the hug and looks at him intently. There are tears of happiness in his eyes.

"I'm happy to see you too." Castiel's blue eyes shine at the man kindly.

"Where are you going on such an awfully hot day?" Gunar asks and wipes the sweat off of his forehead.

"To the river. I decided to go for a swim. Want to come with me?" Castiel offers.

"Tempting offer, but I am afraid I will have to refuse. I have some things to discuss with your father. By the way, is he at home?"

"Yes, he's there. And I suggest you hurry up if you want to have any of the ale, or father will drink it all," Castiel laughs when Gunar's face practically melts into a blissful expression at hearing the mentioned words.

"Alright, you go and enjoy yourself and I will try to snatch some ale from your father's hands." Gunar chuckles and pats Castiel on his shoulder. "See you later, son."

"Yes, see you later," Castiel bids his goodbye and resumes his slow walking. His mood gets even better and the young warrior starts humming a song under his breath, as he walks down the hill and heads towards the river.

* * *

The purling sound of the river is like a lullaby to his ears. Castiel stops and takes a good look at his surroundings. There is a small oak grove to his right that isn't a part of the demon's forest – thank the gods for that. Castiel is alone here, which he is also happy about.

He takes his tunic and boots off and detaches his sword from his belt, carefully laying everything on the stony ground. Castiel rolls his trousers up to his knees and takes cautious steps towards the river. The stones are sharp and he has to be careful not to hurt himself. The young man hisses and curses a few times when sharp edges cut and prickle his feet.

Finally, he reaches the river and looks at its surface. The water glitters blindingly under the sun rays and looks alluring. Castiel notices fat fish that jump from the water before disappearing into it again.

"Hmm, I think we should have a fried fish. What do you think?" Castiel looks at his abdomen and taps on it. His stomach growls in response. He smiles. "Hah, good answer, we shall have fish, then. But, I'll have to build a fire first."

Castiel is humming a song as he starts to gather some dry grass, small branches, and moss. As soon as he's done, he places them between two rocks and drives the tip of his sword in the middle. He was able to find a flint stone too, which the young man slides along the sharp edge of the sword, inducing sparks. Castiel chuckles, feeling satisfied when the sparks turn into a small fire. The twigs and moss blaze and a thin line of black smoke stretches out upwards. Now, it's time to catch a fish. Hopefully Castiel is able to get one, because it will be a pity if he fails now that he's been thinking about juicy fish this whole time.

The young warrior gets rid of his last remaining clothing and stretches. His body is lean, but with nicely defined muscles, strong legs, and firm, round buttocks. Castiel gingerly puts one foot in the water and shudders. The water is cold.

"Damn it," he mutters and stomps forward. He knows that it's better to dive immediately than torture himself with a slow adjustment.

The cold water burns his chest and eyes as he disappears into the river for a few seconds. Castiel splutters and coughs as he surfaces and tries to catch his breath. As minutes pass, the water starts to feel nice against his naked skin, with the sun beating down on his now dripping body. Castiel stands still in the river and looks down at the bottom. The river is crystal clear and one can see even the smallest stones resting at the bottom. The fish, frightened by Castiel's previous flailing and floundering, get closer to him now that he's stilled. The bravest one nips at his toes. The young man continues to stand still and wait patiently. The fish gets bolder and that's the exact moment Castiel uses: he plunges his hands into the water and grabs the fat carp. The fish desperately tries to slip out of the man's grasp, but he squeezes it hard and drags it out of the water, throwing it onto the shore. Thanks to the gods, it's not far.

Castiel stomps through the water and crawls out of it. He hurriedly grabs the fish and his sword. "I am sorry, fishy, but you shall become my food." He cuts its belly and guts the carp. The scaling and cleaning does not take long and soon after the fish is placed on the stones for frying.

Castiel washes his hands and the sword in the river and puts it on top of his clothes. He adds more grass and branches to the fire. Before the fish fries, he still has time and Castiel goes into the river once again. He splashes around, dives, and swims against the current. He feels giddy and nonchalant like a child. The emotions are overwhelming and Castiel laughs happily as he opens up his arms and falls on his back. He lies there for a couple of minutes, with eyes closed and sun rays licking his face and chest.

"Oh, what a lovely sight," purrs a dangerously sweet voice.

Despite having his ears in the water, Castiel hears every word clearly. His eyes snap open and he straightens abruptly. It cannot be possible! But it is. There's Dean on the shore, squatting near the fire and grinning at him.

"You…" It's the only word Castiel manages to utter.

"I told you we would meet again. You didn't believe me." Dean winks at him.

"But… but … why… how…?" Castiel is lost for words; his blue eyes are open wide and staring at the demon disbelievingly.

"Let's say I have good servants fulfilling my wishes quiet efficiently. Oh, you should turn your fish over."

Dean looks down at the carp. "Want me to do it, or will you be coming out?" The demon asks seductively, smirking.

Castiel is suddenly very aware of his nakedness. He swallows hard and searches for his clothes and sword on the shore, but he can't see them. It's not hard to guess that the demon is messing with him and it's Dean who has hidden them.

"Where are my clothes and sword?" Castiel growls at the demon. "What did you do to them?"

The green-eyed creature does not answer straight away; he flips over the fish with a stick and looks at the human. There is something about Castiel that allures him, and it's not only his appearance.

Dean even surprises himself when he is honest. "Had I not hidden them, we would not be talking right now. Let's say it earned me some time with you." He knows that he can easily manipulate the human and force him do whatever he desires, but he just likes this game so much that he refuses to use the powers, either magical or physical. "I have no intention of harming you. Come out, I don't bite." Dean smirks at Castiel. "Unless you want me to," he adds.

"I think I'll stay here," Castiel mutters under his breath, but it's still audible for the demon.

"A few things will happen if you stay in the water," Dean begins. "One, the fish you tried so hard to catch will end up in my stomach, and you don't want that. Two, you will freeze your precious body parts off by standing in there for too long and neither of us want that to happen. And finally, if I get impatient I can simply drag you out of the water. Now, make up your mind." Dean snickers when he sees Castiel's crestfallen expression.

"Fine. Just give me my belongings back." Castiel slightly shivers and walks towards the shore. As he comes out of the river, Dean has to bite his lip and choke back a groan. The human simply has the perfect body.

The demon's eyes roam greedily all over the human and a low rumble rises in his chest. His mouth waters when Castiel stops a few steps away.

"Give me my clothes and sword back," the young man says calmly, withdrawing the demon out of his stupor.

"What? Uh… clothes, right," Dean says blankly before coming to his senses. He swallows hard. "Hm… I like you naked better, pretty boy."

"Stop calling me pretty boy!" Castiel snarls, glaring at him angrily.

The demon laughs a little. "What should I call you then? You never told me your name."

Castiel is hesitant to answer, but in the end decides to respond to the demon's question. "It's Castiel," he says simply.

"Nice name. But it's so long... Don't you have a nickname or something?"

"No," Castiel replies shortly.

"Then I will call you Cas," Dean decides. He winks at human and stands up.

"Hey, where are you going? Give me my stuff back!" Castiel exclaims indignantly. He grabs the demon's arm, but immediately regrets doing so. With lightning speed Dean snakes one arm around his waist and pulls the human closer, pressing Castiel's wet, naked body flat against his chest.

"I am going to bring your clothes. But, if you ask me, we should engage in more pleasant activities." Dean leans forward and licks the water drops off of Castiel's neck, earning a shocked gasp. "But I see you aren't too eager. What a pity." The demon smacks the young man's rear playfully and walks away before the confused human has time to react. Dean can hear Castiel's rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing and it makes him smile wickedly. Time is what he needs, and if he plays it right, soon the human will be head over heels for him.

When Dean returns, Castiel is sitting beside the fried carp. His dark brown hair falls in cascades of locks on his shoulders, and when he lifts his gaze from the river and looks at the demon, something breaks in Dean's heart, and the demon feels like he suddenly doesn't know himself anymore. The human's eyes are so pure and innocent. Dean realizes that he does not want to just fuck and dump Castiel. There is something in him… the demon doesn't know what it is, but he likes it. He can't imagine hurting this human anymore.

"Here," he says hoarsely and hands the clothes and the sword to their owner.

Castiel stands up and puts them on, not lifting his eyes from the demon, but Dean pays no attention at all. He seems deeply in thought.

"Why are you following me? What do you want from me, Dean?" Castiel asks the demon. He sits down and puts the sword near him, just in case. The green-eyed creature is kneeling in front of the fire, staring into it instead of at Castiel. It's strange that the demon has not showed any inclination to kill him.

"There is something in you that attracts me. I do not know what it is and it's annoying. Something I can't fathom. I could snap my fingers and a lot of bad things could happen to you, but I don't want to. I don't want to use my powers on you. Courtesy and I are not acquainted – usually I take what I want whenever I want it and feel no remorse – but in your case it's different and it makes me furious!" Dean grits his teeth.

Indeed, this human has a strange effect on him. And he feels even angrier for opening up to Castiel and spilling his thoughts before him.

Castiel falls silent and thinks about what he's heard. He doesn't question whether it's true, because he can feel the sincerity in the words. He throws a careful glance at the demon, who pokes the embers with a stick.

The young man is not sure why, but he feels an immense wave of loneliness pouring from the demon.

"You're lonely," Castiel blurts out before he can tell himself to shut his mouth. The demon flinches and raises his head to look at the human. His green eyes study Castiel's features attentively and the latter feels like he's drowning into their depths.

"Maybe," Dean says blankly. "But you are in no better condition."

"Thanks to life," Castiel snorts. "All my childhood friends are gone from the village and I will be feeling like a fool after two days." He chuckles and shakes his head.

"Two days? What's happening in two days?" Dean asks with unhidden curiosity in his voice.

Castiel opens and closes his mouth, hesitating with the answer, but Dean's eyes look so genuine that he feels he has no choice but to answer the question. "We will celebrate the Summer God's Day. There's a lot of dancing, singing, and drinking. Happy times, to say the least." Castiel tears a piece off the carp and tastes it. He can't help but hum at the delicious taste. The demon stares, enchanted, as the blue-eyed man licks his fingers.

Dean follows Castiel's example and tears a small bit from the fish and the human doesn't object. "Can I come too?"

Castiel inhales the bite of fish he is chewing and is thrown into a violent coughing fit, turning scarlet red at hearing the demon's question. Dean smacks him several times on his back until he is breathing normally again.

"What?" Castiel croaks and looks at the demon incredulously. "You want to come to the village?"

Dean just nods. "Yes. I don't give a shit about the gods, but I've never seen a festivity like that before and I'm curious."

Castiel shakes his head violently. "No, of course you can't come. You're a demon and you're a threat."

"I will not bring my weapon with me," suggests the demon. "And I will be alone and outnumbered."

"You can still defeat us with your magic without using a sword," Castiel protests. "I would never bring you near my people."

Castiel's words hurt him and Dean falls silent. He isn't even sure why he is hurt by the words at all. Of course, why would he trust a demon? He is a potential threat to him. But Dean desperately wants Castiel to trust him.

"Sure, why would you believe me? We demons are liars, sly sons of bitches, who bring only devastation and death. We have an ill reputation and our words mean nothing, even when we speak the truth," Dean laughs bitterly. "I guess I asked too much and I don't blame you. You can't put the village under the risk of me being there, I understand. I just… I just wanted to see one good thing in my life besides blood, violence, and torture." And it is the truth. Dean hasn't realized he wants these things, but suddenly he does.

The demon stands up and starts to walk up the hill when Castiel's voice reaches him: "Dean, wait…"

Dean turns around and meets with the human's frowning face.

"You can come to… to the village." Castiel is not sure if he is sane anymore, but he's already said it. The young man swallows the lump in his throat as he continues, "But with one condition."

"What condition?" Dean's heart beats faster.

"Give me your word that you will come alone, unarmed, and will harm no one."

The demon studies Castiel's face and he sees expectation there. Dean knows that he cannot and will not deceive him. "I swear upon my soul and honor that I shall come without my weapons, alone, and shall not harm any living soul while I am in the village," he says sincerely.

"Find me after two days at noon, at this same place," Castiel says after a tense silence.

Dean smiles, flashing his white teeth. "Thanks, Cas. I shall see you in two days, then." He disappears behind the hill. After some seconds Castiel hears neighing and the clattering of hooves.

Castiel stares at the half eaten fish. "What have I done?" he mumbles quietly and grabs his head, having an internal argument with himself. "Dean looked honest while giving his promise, so he will keep his word, right? But what if I'm wrong and I doomed the village? No, no, no, he will keep his word. Tell me I am not mistaken, please! "

Castiel looks up at the sky as if waiting for a sign. It never comes.


	14. Chapter 14

Castiel gets antsy as the festival day draws near, but it's much worse on the celebration day. He can't sit still and roams anxiously around like a restless spirit. It's only early morning and there are a few hours left until his meeting with Dean, but Castiel keeps cracking his knuckles and pacing back and forth.

"Darling, is everything well?" Brita asks her son gently. "What is bothering you?" She is worried about him, looking at Castiel's rapidly changing facial expressions.

"No, nothing mother. I am perfectly fine. I'm just excited about the event," Castiel lies and continues to fidget nervously.

"Of course you are," Aggi says heartily. "There will be a lot of pretty girls there, my son. Maybe you will get a chance to kiss one or even…" the man chuckles, but Brita cuts him off.

"Aggi!" she exclaims in agitation.

"What? Castiel is a young man and he has his urges." Castiel's father grins wide and taps his furiously blushing son on the shoulder.

"I'll just go to my room, I… I need something…" Castiel literally runs out of the living room, leaving his parents there. He can hear Brita's soft reprimanding, while his father laughs gently.

Castiel leans against the wall and thinks about his carefully made plan. It's good that everyone is supposed to wear white at the festival. He will give his tunic to Dean, so he can easily claim that Dean is his friend from Blazing Blades.

Castiel goes to the trunk standing in the corner and starts to rummage through it. He must make sure everything goes well, without any obstacles.

* * *

Sam studies his older brother carefully. Dean has seemed very… well, happy, the past few days. Which might have been a good thing, except bad things made the older demon happy. Sam gets even more suspicious when Dean stares at his own reflection in the mirror, examining his face from every angle.

"Dean, what's happening? I can already tell it's bad." Sam glares at his brother with folded arms over his chest.

"I've got an appointment with someone special," Dean replies, not lifting his eyes from the mirror.

"With that human?" Sam asks warily.

Dean turns around abruptly, irritation radiating from his expression. "That human has a name," he hisses at the younger demon warningly.

"Hey, easy there." Sam throws his hands up in the air. "I didn't mean it as an insult."

"Whatever," Dean mutters and turns back to the mirror. He looks at his reflection without blinking, thinking intently. He knows that he's forgetting something. The demon lets himself sink into the whirlpool of thoughts and memories that flash in front of his eyes. Then it hits him. Appearance! He should change his appearance if he does not want to get into a trouble. Dean remembers that during their last raid, some of the village people saw his face. What if they remember him? It's better not to risk it, so Dean takes all the necessary measures: his dirty blond hair turns black and a short, and a dark beard appears on his face.

Sam witnesses the transformation and takes a few steps towards his brother. "Dean, you're worrying me!"

"It's alright, Sammy. I'm just making a surprise for Cas," Dean assures him.

"So, his name is Cas?" Sam arches his brow.

"His name is Castiel, but I prefer Cas," chuckles the older demon. "Alright, I'm leaving now." Dean takes the special amulet from his pocket and puts it around his neck. It prevents Alastair from sensing him in the forest.

"You are playing with fire," Sam warns him. "You're acting reckless and it will ruin you."

"No, it won't. You'll see," Dean tells him and leaves the chamber.

* * *

Castiel sits on a rock, looking at the river. There is something in his lap and a sword at his feet. Dean has not showed up yet and the young man is almost hyperventilating.

"Maybe he changed his mind and isn't coming?" Castiel mutters.

He is considering leaving, thinking Dean isn't coming, when someone whispers into his ear: "Oh no, I didn't change my mind at all."

Castiel jumps up, startled, and quickly turns around to look at the stranger. The voice is familiar, but he doesn't recognize the man.

The young warrior gapes at the newcomer, eyeing him suspiciously. "Who… who are you?"

The stranger throws his head back and laughs. "Come on, Cas. Is it that hard to recognize me?"

"Dean?" Castiel asks doubtfully. "Why do you look like that?"

"Just a little trick," the demon smiles. "But it was necessary." The green-eyed creature looks at Castiel, instinctively licking his lips. The human looks very nice in a white tunic with a wheat wreath adorning his head. "You look nice." The demon steps forward, a faint smile dancing on his mouth. He touches one of the green buds. "Is it a tradition to wear them?"

"Um… yes… Males wear white tunics and females white dresses. Wheat wreaths are the same for everyone." Castiel follows the demon's hand with his gaze. Dean's fingers shamelessly travel from the wreath to his neck, brushing against the skin gently. "That reminds me, I brought something for you." Castiel catches Dean's hand before the demon explores more of his body and moves it aside.

"Hmm, really? And what did you bring me?" the demon purrs.

"This." Castiel picks up his tunic and hands it to Dean. "You must put it on. As you are not from the village, I will say that you are my friend from Blazing Blades."

The demon frowns and looks at the tunic. His attention is caught by the symbol embroidered on the fabric. Dean shifts his gaze from the tunic to its owner. But before he asks anything, Castiel explains. "I learnt my martial skills at Blazing Blades and being one of the best pupils, they rewarded me with this tunic. It is a great honor to have one," Castiel tells the demon.

Dean looks at the clothing incredulously. Castiel is slimmer than him and the demon is not sure if it will fit him, but he has to try anyway.

"Alright. So, I have to put this on and pretend I am your friend from Blazing Blades?" Dean frowns.

"Yes." Castiel nods.

Dean huffs, exasperated, but obeys. If he wants to get into the village, he'll have to wear it. He takes his own shirt off and drops it on the ground.

As his tanned, muscled torso and arms are revealed, Castiel's heart thuds against his ribcage frantically. " _Damn it, what is happening to me_?" he thinks, panicking. His face heats up in embarrassment when Dean gives him a smug look.

"You like what you see? I won't mind if you touch me." The demon grins at the human, who turns even redder.

"Shut up!" Castiel snaps at the smirking creature, trying to extricate himself from the awkward situation.

Castiel's tunic is a little small for the demon. It's wrapped around his body tightly, but it is bearable. The young man thinks privately that it only accentuates Dean's muscles. 

The demon looks down at himself incredulously. This is the first time he has ever worn someone else's clothes – and that someone else is a human.

"Where is your horse?" Castiel asks and looks around in search of the animal.

"I walked." 

Castiel coughs, clears his throat, and bends down to pick up something. "I know I demanded that you came without your weapons, but if you are going to say that you're from Blazing Blades, you should have a sword too." He hands his sword to the demon.

Dean examines the weapon carefully. It has the same symbol on the handle as the tunic. He knows that Castiel is showing him great trust by giving it to him and knows more certainly than before that he can't break his promise.

"I will not deceive you, Cas. You can trust me," he says gently. "Thank you."

Castiel just nods briefly, hoping that he's not making a fatal mistake. He looks up at the sun in the cloudless sky.

"We should go. The celebration should start soon." Castiel walks in front of the demon, who adjusts the belt around his waist.  
"Give me a moment," Dean says and takes his shirt off the ground. He walks to the nearest tree and drapes it over a branch. "I will get it later," he adds.

Castiel stands on the hill and waits for the demon, his nervousness making it hard to pay attention to anything other than the blood pounding hard and fast through his veins. Dean covers the distance between them with a few steps.

"Cas." The demon takes the human's wrist, turning him around. "I can hear your heartbeat, you know. Calm down," he says with a smile.

"I am calm." Castiel does not know who he tries to assure, himself or the green-eyed creature.

"Of course you are." Dean cups Castiel's cheek, which for some reason makes his breath hitch. His fingers slide to the human's nape in an attempt to bring his lips closer, but Castiel manages to break free from the demon's hold.

"Stop your silly games and come with me if you are serious about the festival, or go back to where you came from." Castiel tries to sound angry and confident, but his voice cracks in the end, and he walks away with quick steps.

Dean growls, low and frustrated, after the human is quite ahead of him. "No matter what you will be mine, Cas," he murmurs to himself. "And no force shall stop me from taking you." The demon quits snarling and follows the human. "Hey, wait up!" he shouts after Castiel. 

Dean tries not to pay attention to this little failure. He knows he has lost a battle, but not the war.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: It has small, brief non-conish elements but nothing serious.

As the village gets near enough that Dean can run his eyes over the walls, he begins to feel nervous. What if somebody recognizes him? But then he remembers that not even Castiel had recognized him, and he had been waiting for him to arrive, so he brushes the apprehensive thoughts away.

"Cas," he begins. "I don't know how to act. Is there something I should do or say? Maybe there's some traditional greeting?" Dean looks at the human questioningly.

Castiel studies his face for a few seconds, and when he sees sincere curiosity there, he smiles broadly. Dean is pretty sure this is the most approval that Castiel had displayed so far.

"No, Dean, don't worry," says Castiel. "Just stay beside me and watch."

"Alright, then." The demon swallows and follows the human, who is already waving at the guards and exchanging some jokes with them.

"Come, Dean." Castiel turns around to look at the demon before he enters the gates, giving him a last warning look, reminding of the promise he had made.

As they enter the village, loud music, laughter, and merry shouts greet them. Dean feels dazed and confused. He has never seen so many happy people together. Everyone around him is in white and they all wear wreaths. Dean feels uncomfortable and gets nervous when suddenly there is a gentle grab around his wrist.

"Calm down, it's alright." Hearing Castiel's voice is like getting water after a week in the desert.

The demon nods hurriedly and is about to ask something when someone calls Castiel's name from behind. It's Aggi.

"Here you are. I was looking for you. Oh, you brought a friend?" Aggi's gaze moves from his son to the stranger.

"I… yes," Castiel stutters. "He's my friend from Blazing Blades." Castiel knows that he is a terrible liar and tries his best to look relaxed and natural.

"My name is Ansgar." Dean reaches his hand out, knowing that his lying capabilities are much better than the human’s. "Castiel was my best friend at Blazing Blades and I am thankful to him for inviting me. Pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, young man." Aggi shakes Dean's hand. "I am Aggi, Castiel's father. So, did you know about the celebration and come to visit my son?"

"No, he is coming from Blazing Blades and has to return to his village," Castiel cuts in before Dean blurts out something silly.

"Where is your village?" Aggi inquires.

"I live in Mourning Widows," Dean says with such confidence that Castiel actually believes him for an instant.

"That's a long way to go. And after all the drinking I am sure you will need some good rest." Aggi laughs and pats Dean on the shoulder. "You can stay at our house tonight. There is plenty of space for another bed in Castiel's room and…" but before Aggi finishes his sentence Castiel cuts in.

"No!" He shouts suddenly, startling his father and Dean. "I mean… I mean of course it's nice to… to have him with us, but he… he has to go today, definitely." Castiel sweats and pales.

"And why is that?" Aggi arches his eyebrow, drilling his son with a studying gaze. But Dean saves him from the torture and answers the man himself.

"Castiel is right, I need to be there for the morning. My uncle died and we are burying him tomorrow at sunrise. I will just stay for a few hours if you don't mind."

"Oh, my condolences," Aggi says. "Please feel free to stay as long as you want."

"Thank you." Dean gives a brief smile.

"Well, boys, I'd better go and check how the feast preparation is going. See you later." Aggi leaves them with quick steps.

As soon as the man is out of their sight, Dean grins wickedly at the still sweating human. "What a pity I can't stay overnight," he purrs seductively.

"Don't even think about it," Castiel barks at him and his eyes flash.

"Alright, alright," Dean raises his hands in defeat and looks at the dancing group of young people who sing and spin in a ring. "Sam would love to see this," Dean chuckles and shakes his head.

"Sam?" Castiel asks, following the demon's gaze.

"My younger brother. He's much softer inside than me." Dean lets out a small huff. "He would've been all smiling and happy had he been here instead of me. You would've liked him, I'm sure."

"I don't see anything wrong with that. He sounds nice." Castiel just shrugs. "Maybe we should get something to drink?" he suggests after a while.

"Can't say no to good ideas," Dean hums in agreement.

They are about to leave and go to the specially set table for the feast, when a young girl with long, black curls approaches them.

"Castiel, would you dance with me, please?" she asks flirtatiously, eyeing him sheepishly.

"I… uh… I'm terribly sorry Eira, but I don't dance." Castiel smiles awkwardly.

The girl's face drops and her eyes water. "No one wants to dance with me. Am I that ugly?"

Castiel's breathing hitches and he waves his hands. "No, no of course you aren't. You are beautiful and I would love to dance with you if…"

"Then dance with me," she says slyly. All her tears are gone and only a wicked smile is dancing on her pouty, full lips.

She does not give time for the young man to protest. She grabs his hand in the next moment and drags him to the dancing group. Her laughing sounds like a jingling bell and she radiates happiness. The girl is like a clear, cloudless sky compared to the demon, who looks like the darkest, stormiest cloud.

Dean grits his teeth and clenches his fists when Castiel holds her round her waist, spins the girl, and lifts her in the air. The demon lets out a guttural growl when Eira kisses Castiel on the cheek after the dance is over.

By the time Castiel returns to the place where he has left Dean, the demon is shaking from anger.

"Dean, what's the matter?" Castiel asks worriedly. The demon's expression does not promise anything good.

"If she comes that close to you again, I'll break her neck," Dean announces, his voice so calm and cold that Castiel's mouth goes dry.

"But why? She didn't do anything bad," he whispers.

"I don't like her touching you!" Dean hisses, enraged, and turns his back on the dancers. "I need a drink, right now."

"I think I need it more than you do," Castiel answers. "Anyway, the feast is starting now, so come with me."

* * *

To his own surprise, Dean finds out that he likes to be among humans – when they aren't putting their hands all over Castiel, that is. The table they are sitting at is full of different, delicious foods, which Dean tastes with pleasure. The blue-eyed man can't help but laugh, amazed when the demon devours the whole roasted leg of veal, washing it down with a horn full of ale.

"Fwat?" Dean asks with his mouth full of food and grins at the human.

"Nothing. Eat, Dean, eat." Castiel returns his gaze to his own plate. There's some sliced meat and vegetables there, but he does not feel hungry. He is thankful to all existing deities that the demon is behaving well and has not caused any trouble yet.

Time flows fast in this friendly and pleasant atmosphere. There are a lot of drunks at the table, some of them snoring, some of them recalling old stories, rambling aloud. Half of the people who had been at the table before and got bored had gone back to dancing.

Dean feels fantastic. He has eaten and drunk a lot but thanks to demon stamina, he is fine. He would need seas of alcohol to get him drunk, which can't be said about Castiel; he looks pretty tipsy. His azure eyes sparkle as he smiles at something blissfully.

Dean takes a look around and notices that the sun is setting. This can't be good. He knows what it means.

"Cas," he calls carefully. "You need to hide me. Right now."

Castiel gapes at him. "Why would I need to do that?"

Dean swallows hard. "Because it's getting dark and my eyes shine in darkness. We do not want to scare these people, do we?"

"Oh," Castiel gasps. "I can hide you in our stable," he adds after a moment.

The demon shakes his head. "That will not do. Horses would feel that I am not human. Maybe there's an old barn or a stable that is not in use anymore?"

"There is one," Castiel says. "It's nearby and we should be able to make it in time," he adds hurriedly and stands up. Instantly he sways and Dean catches him.

"I'm sorry, Dean." The young man’s voice is barely above a whisper when the demon holds him against his chest tightly.

"No worries, Cas," Dean rasps, besotted from the human's scent. He lets go of him reluctantly.

They walk for a while, until they leave all the noise and music behind. Dean's eyes sometimes blaze with green fire and Castiel can't help but stare at them, enchanted.

They reach a stable and Castiel pushes its door gingerly. The old door creaks, but yields easily. The human steps inside first. There's nothing in it at all.

"Come in," he calls to the demon and Dean gladly obeys.

As soon as he gets inside, Castiel finds himself pinned to the wooden wall with his hands above his head.

"Dean, what… what are you doing?" he asks, startled, when the demon starts to nibble and lick at his neck.

"What do you think I'm doing, Cas? What does it look like?" Dean asks hoarsely and bites the human's neck playfully.

Castiel is rendered speechless and he's lost. He tries to wriggle out of the demon's grab, but it's getting harder with every second, especially when Dean's hands move from his wrists to his hips.

"Dean, stop it!" he shouts at the demon when he starts groping his ass.

"Don't you dare shout at me, little boy," the green-eyed creature croons with a dangerously sweet voice and Castiel shivers unwillingly.

"Little boy?" he asks, puzzled. "Why did you call me 'little boy'? I am not a child."

"What should I call a little thing like you then?" Dean's fingers try to sneak under Castiel's tunic, but the human swats at his hand furiously.

"Little thing?" he exclaims. "Are you joking? I believe we are the same age, Dean!"

The demon looks at him with amusement and low laughter rumbles in his chest. "So naïve. The same age, you say? Hate to disappoint you, Cas, but I am exactly three hundred and fifty years old." Dean smirks at Castiel's shocked expression. "Maybe I cannot brag that I have seen as much as my superiors, but I surely have seen enough in this life. And the sinful and pleasurable side is my favorite." Dean stops for a moment, but then continues, "Tell me, don't you like sensual touches that blaze up the fire in your soul and make your cock hard? The kisses that make you want to moan with lust and plant your seed deep insi…." Dean shuts up abruptly when his freakish eyesight sees the change on Castiel's face. The human has turned scarlet and sweat is forming above his eyebrows.

The demon frowns deeply. Something is not right here. Castiel looks very uncomfortable and squirms under the supernatural being’s drilling gaze.

"You've been with a woman before, haven't you? Or a man?" Dean asks carefully, not lifting his gaze from Castiel's face.

"I… I…" Castiel begins and blushes even harder. His face is hot like a small bonfire.

Dean's eyes widen in shock and a throaty chuckle escapes his mouth. "Are you telling me that you've never fucked anyone, or been fucked? That you're a virgin?"

"I never had an occasion, alright?" Castiel tries to justify, but it doesn't help him feel any less uncomfortable.

"No worries, Cas. Maybe it's even better that you're a virgin." Dean smirks at him and squeezes his hip. "I'll be your first then." With these words, he tugs the human forward and in another instant Castiel finds himself lying in the straw with Dean on top of him. The demon does not give him time to come out of his stupor and begins to unbutton Castiel's tunic at the collar.

The young man writhes under him and tries to throw Dean aside, but the demon is a dead weight on top of him. When Dean parts his legs to lie between them, that's when Castiel starts to panic, recalling the recent nightmare.

"Dean… stop, please. You don't want to do this." His pleas are not answered. On the contrary, Dean lifts the human's tunic to leave a wet stripe from his navel up to his chest. Castiel almost chokes and lets out a small whimper.

"Don't do this to me… not again…" He whispers the last word and closes his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, but there are no further movements from the demon.

"Not again?" Dean raises his head, confused. "What do you mean, again?" the demon asks.

Castiel shakes his head, not wanting to recall the chilling memories, but Dean catches his chin and stills him.  
"Look at me!" His voice is calm but confident. "Just look into my eyes."

Castiel wants to object, but the second he meets Dean's green eyes, he's unable to shift his gaze from the demon.

Dean leans forward, catches Castiel's face with both hands, locks his gaze with the human's and enters his memories.

_Forest… Running… Falling… Rapid heartbeat… Resistance… Gag and a blindfold… Cave… Fear… Wild fear… Begging… Desperation…_

Dean feels each and every sensation that Castiel did, and afterwards he feels bad for the human, though it was not really him who chased the victim through the forest.

"That was quite arousing." He smiles awkwardly and wants to get up when someone's voice calls from the outside.

"Castiel, I heard your voice. Are you in there? Are you alright?" It's Aggi's voice and Castiel panics, not knowing what to do.

"Yes father, it's me and please don't come inside!" he yells desperately.

"Why? What's happening? I don't like the sound of your voice. I'm coming in." Aggi sounds nervous and makes a step towards the door.

"Dear gods…" Castiel swallows hard, his heart ready to leap out, but when he looks at Dean's face he forgets about everything. Dean grins wickedly and puts a finger against his lips giving Castiel a silent 'shhh' sign. And then….

"Yes… yes… ah Castiel… mmmm please, harder…" Dean moans, his voice coming out as that of a young girl. "Yes…yesss… Oh, gods… just like that… just like that…" He shakes from silent laughter when he notices Castiel's dismayed face.

There is dead silence outside the stable, but after a few seconds it's broken by a roaring laughter.

"I see you listened carefully to my advice, son. Enjoy yourself, I will not disturb you then." Aggi is still shaking from laughter as he walks away from the stable.

Castiel gapes at Dean, who is still straddling his hips. "What in the gods' names was that?"

"A small trick." The demon smiles and cups the human's cheek, caressing his cheekbone with his thumb. Dean moves aside and reaches his hand out to Castiel. "Get up."

* * *

They sit on some straw in silence. It's getting late and Dean knows that he has to go back to the fortress. He  stirs and shifts beside the human.

"I need to go back, it's getting late," Dean informs Castiel, who nods silently.

"I will go check to see if it's safe to come out and tell you," he says and goes out of the stable.

Dean is getting desperate and impatient when Castiel gets back, informing the demon that the path is clear and that no guards are standing at the walls.

They both go outside, where twilight has dropped the hem of her skirt onto the earth. The demon and the human go through the exit of the village and cross the field.

At the end of the field, Dean takes Castiel's tunic off and detaches the sword from his belt, giving them back to the owner.

"Thank you for everything," the demon says simply.

Castiel smiles in return. "Thank you for keeping your word and not harming anyone. And also, thank you for solving that little problem in the stable." He blushes slightly.

Dean grins. "No worries. And Cas…" he pauses. "As a token of my appreciation **,** I want to show you something special. In three days I want you to come into the forest and meet me at the pile of rocks, at the hour of Sleepless Spirits." The demon looks at Castiel with obvious hope in his eyes.

"But… but I cannot come into the forest and you know that. What if the other demons find out?" Castiel shakes his head. "They will kill me."

"No one will sense that you are in the forest if you wear this," says Dean and hands something to the human. "It will hide your presence to others. Only I will know that you are in the woods."

Castiel takes the amulet from the demon and looks at it attentively. It's a charm hanging from a thin cord, a silver triangle with a twisting snake in the middle.

"Alright, Dean. I will be there in three days," he tells the demon somewhat hesitantly.

Dean's face visibly lights up and his eyes shimmer with a green light. And Castiel is not sure why he does not fight the demon off when his lips cover the human's.

"Good," murmurs Dean when he breaks the kiss. "I will be waiting for you, Cas." The green-eyed creature turns around and walks toward the river, where he has left his own shirt.

Castiel just stares at the disappearing figure, clutching his belongings to his chest while his right hand caresses the cold, silver amulet.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And sexy times begin ;)

As soon as Dean disappears and Castiel is left alone, he frowns deeply. There is an odd, unhappy feeling in his heart and he tries to understand what it is. He feels a little like his heart is bleeding.

"What's happening to me?" Castiel mumbles quietly. "Am I ill? Or drunk? I've never felt like this before. Or is it somehow connected with Dean?" As soon as he says the demon's name, Castiel's heart rams against his ribcage so powerfully that the young warrior cries out and staggers.

"No, no, no this isn't right," Castiel shakes his head vigorously, refusing to accept the truth. "He is a demon and I can't… can't like him. He just wanted to show his gratitude and I accepted his invitation as a gesture of good-will." The young man gesticulates fervently as if trying to prove something to his invisible interlocutor. "And after our next meeting, we will part as if nothing ever happened between us." He laughs nervously and smooths his ruffled hair, plucking some pieces of straw out of it.

"Oh, wonderful, now I'm talking to myself. Why don't I shut up and return to the village now? Yes, good idea." He sighs and walks towards the wooden fence surrounding the village. After ten steps, he stops and turns around to look in the direction where Dean had been earlier. Of course the demon is not there.

"Damn it!" Castiel curses under his breath and nearly runs through the gates of the village, where people are still having fun, drinking, singing, and dancing. His sword is wrapped in the tunic and the young warrior hides it carefully while making his way through the crowd towards his house.

* * *

Castiel's efforts to avoid his father the next morning crash down like a sand castle. Despite the fact that he had deliberately come out of his room late, hoping that Aggi would not be at home, his hopes shatter as his father's grinning face greets him.

"Oh, look who's here. The sleeping princess has woken up," Aggi chuckles.

Castiel, whose intention had been to sneak out of the room unnoticed, freezes to the spot. He gapes at his father, confused. Usually at this time Aggi takes Ulrika to the river to wash her, but apparently he has other plans today.

"G-good morning," Castiel says nervously, sensing that his father is in a ruthless, teasing mood.

"Oh, you're up, darling. Sit down and eat." Brita walks into the room from the kitchen, bringing late breakfast for her son: freshly baked bread, butter, cheese, and milk.

"Thank you mother, but I'm not hungry," mumbles Castiel.

"Well, you look exhausted after last night's escapades, so you should eat to regain your strength," Aggi snickers and winks at his sweating son.

"What are you talking about?" Brita arches her brow.

"No, nothing mother! Where is Snowball? Have you seen Snowball?" Castiel exclaims nervously, trying desperately to change the subject.

"That little bastard is outside, lying under the sun and snoring. And as to last night, judging from the moans and screams I heard from the stable, Castiel did his job perfectly." Aggi throws his head back and laughs loud while his son looks absolutely mortified.

The young man all but runs to the door and he's ready to flee outside when his father's voice reaches him: "Alright, alright. We had a good laugh and that's enough. I will go to see Gunar in a short while, do you want to come with me?"

Castiel sighs, relieved. Finally his father showed mercy and changed the subject of the conversation. "Yes," he nods. "I want to come too."

"Very well, then. But I would cover those love marks on your neck before seeing Gunar. You know he is worse than I," Aggi grins wide.

" _Love marks_?” Castiel wonders. Had Dean actually left marks? Castiel does not want to listen to anything else, he just flees outside with his face burning. But he can still hear his father's hearty laughter and Brita's reprimanding. As usual.

* * *

As the meeting day gets closer, Castiel gets restless. He's fidgety and absentminded, always lost in thought. A few times Brita catches him staring at a wall with an absent gaze. She shares her worries with her husband, but Aggi simply assures her that Castiel is falling in love with that mysterious girl from the stable.

Castiel lies awake on his bed with his heart pounding heavily. He is waiting for his parents to go to sleep, to avoid unnecessary awkward questions. His fist is clenched around the silver amulet tightly.

Finally Aggi and Brita go to their bedroom to get some rest after a tiring day. Castiel wipes his sweaty palms on his trousers and gets up from his bed. He puts the necklace around his neck and tiptoes out of the house.  
He looks at the moon and its position, figuring that it's almost the hour of Sleepless Spirits and runs towards the forest. On the way there, he tries to convince himself that the only reason for running is that he just does not want to be late. That he is not excited to see the demon. Not at all.

By the time he enters the forest and reaches the pile of rocks, Castiel pants heavily, trying to catch his breath. He puts his hands against his knees, doubles over and takes sharp inhales.

"I didn't know that you would be running at break-neck speed to me," a deep voice purrs into his ear and Castiel almost yelps, startled, but then realizes it's Dean.

"I was not running at break-neck speed. I just didn't want to be late. Hello, Dean." Castiel swallows and turns around.

Dean is standing in front of him with his arms crossed on his chest and smiling. The young man's gaze moves from the demon's smoldering eyes to his mouth, and Castiel can't help but lick his lips. Dean notices this small gesture but says nothing, only the corner of his mouth quirks upwards into a smirk.

"Nice to see you, Cas." Dean reaches his hand out and touches the amulet around Castiel's neck. "You have not forgotten to wear it. Good," the demon says and traces his finger along the human's rapidly beating pulse.

Castiel clears his throat. "What did you want to show me?"

"Oh, right," Dean comes back from his dreams. "Come with me." He walks towards an immense beech tree and Castiel follows him slowly. He stops abruptly when there are loud sneezing and snorting sounds.

"What was that?" Castiel asks suspiciously. "Did you not come alone?" he wraps his fingers around the hilt of his sword, which he has strapped to his belt. Just in case.

Dean looks at him, amused. "Calm down, Princess. It's just Impala," the demon snorts.

"Impala?" Castiel parrots.

"Yes. Come closer, I want you to meet her." Dean steps aside, opening the path for the human.

Castiel moves forward hesitantly. Under the moonlight there is the most beautiful horse he has ever seen. Her skin glistens under the moon's rays, her black mane and tail reaching down the ground while the night breeze plays with them tenderly. Castiel can't suppress an awed gasp.

"You can touch her. She likes you," Dean says gently.

Castiel turns to the demon doubtfully. "She likes me? How do you know that?"

Dean rolls his eyes. "I understand and speak every existing language, including that of animals. She just told me that she likes you and wants you to pet her."

Castiel turns to the horse, which looks at him curiously. He raises his hand to caress the animal and chuckles when the horse rubs her head against his chest.

"Who's my good girl?" Dean smacks her playfully on the side. Impala bobs her head as if answering her master's question.

"Of course you are, baby. But I think our guest here is getting little bored, so why don't we take him to our special place?" Dean pats her head and then, without any warning, grabs Castiel around his waist, lifting him in the air and putting him in the saddle. Before the human can react, Dean is sitting right behind him.

"I'm not a girl! I can mount a horse on my own," Castiel snarls at him. "I know how to ride."

"Are you sure about that?" Dean asks wickedly, and Castiel fidgets uncomfortably.

"Alright, let's go then. It should start soon. Go, my precious, you know where to go," Dean tells Impala. She does not need to be told twice and instantly flies from the place like an arrow.

Castiel looks around while they rush through the woods. The horse flies between the trees with incredible speed. The young man's ears ring as the air hisses around them and he swallows hard. But he is not afraid of falling. Why would he be? Dean's arm is wrapped around his waist, holding him firmly against his broad chest.  
Impala jumps over a wide log and despite the fact that Castiel has a good sense of balance, he sways in the saddle, clutching at Dean's thighs.

"Hah, I didn't know you were this desperate to touch me," Dean jokes and nips at Castiel's earlobe. The human shivers unwillingly at the action.

"Shut up, Dean," Castiel mumbles weakly.

Meanwhile, Impala stops near a small lake. Dean dismounts but before he can move to help Castiel, the human is already on the ground.

"We are in time. In a few minutes you will see something that you've never seen before in your life. Come." The demon motions Castiel towards the lake and they both walk to the silver surface.

"We should hide here, behind these." Dean points at some tall bushes right before the water.

"What are we waiting for?" Castiel whispers as they settle down in their hiding place.

"Watch the lake and be quiet," the demon tells him without moving his gaze from the water's surface.

Castiel just shrugs and falls silent. He is not sure why Dean has brought him here and starts to get frustrated, but then he hears a distant music. The young man looks around, trying to see where the music is pouring from. It gets nearer and louder; it's the sound of a harp and a flute.

"Cas, stop fidgeting. It's right in front of you," Dean hisses at him and Castiel freezes. True, the music is coming from the lake.

"What…" The young man never finishes his sentence, because a moment later five maidens emerge from the lake, clad in soft, transparent dresses that don't hide their nudity underneath. They move in a strange and mesmerizing dance while two of them play on musical instruments.

Castiel is astonished and dumbstruck. The demon had not lied to him when he had promised a special, unforgettable sight. The blue-eyed warrior forgets about everything and crawls out of their hiding place with the intention of getting into the water. He has to get near these beautiful creatures. His hand is about to sink into the water when Dean grabs the collar of his tunic, yanking him back. He barely manages to drag Castiel behind the bushes and cover his mouth, before the creatures sense something and stop dancing. One of them says something and a few seconds later they shriek deafeningly. Castiel groans from pain and closes his eyes. There is a loud splash and the maidens submerge into the lake.

Dean removes his hand from the human's mouth and frowns down at Castiel, who looks somewhat dazed. "You fool," he says. "You almost got yourself killed." The demon sounds worried.

"Killed? What do you mean?" Castiel stares at him questioningly.

"Do you know who they are, these creatures?"

Castiel shakes his head.

"They are sirens, Cas. Once a month they emerge from the lake to dance on the surface. At daylight they are harmless as they sleep in the depth, but when night comes and if something or someone goes into the water, they will grab and drown the victim by dragging them to the bottom," Dean explains patiently.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't know. I apologize if I caused you worry," Castiel mumbles apologetically.

The demon studies his face for a while but then huffs. "Of course you didn't know. Don't apologize."

They look at each other without breaking eye contact. The tension around them is so thick that it's tangible. Dean leans forward slowly, shortening the distance between him and the human. Castiel's heart starts to pound heavily as Dean's face slowly covers the last inches between them.

He stops an inch before making contact. "Calm down, Cas. I told you the other night: I don't bite, not unless you want me to." He lets out a throaty chuckle and his fingers close around the human's nape.

"Dean… I…" Castiel stutters and swallows as the demon's fingers caress his neck tenderly.

"Shh, don't talk," Dean murmurs and darts his tongue out to lick at the human's lips. "Just close your eyes and listen to your body. It will tell you what you want." The demon slides his hand in Castiel's messy hair and covers his mouth with his own.

Dean's lips taste so luscious that Castiel can't help but moan. This is all the encouragement the demon needs and he invades the human's mouth with his tongue. He pays deserved attention to those lips that had been driving him crazy for days, so he nips, bites, and sucks at them.

"Cas, you can touch me too." The demon's hot breath makes the human shudder. He touches the green-eyed creature's chest cautiously, as if afraid to get burned, but when he hears a quiet but pleasured grunt and feels Dean's frantic heartbeat, his fingers become braver.

"Hold on. Let me get this off," Dean rasps and fumbles with his tunic. Soon after it falls on the ground, revealing Dean's chiseled body. Castiel can't take his eyes off of the perfect view before him and doesn't notice how the demon manages to roll his tunic up to his chest.

The creature's clever fingers trace lines and gently rub his skin and Castiel writhes under his hands but when Dean's tongue darts out and licks its way from the right hipbone up to the left nipple, Castiel arches his back and moans loudly.

Dean is about to rip off the human's tunic when he realizes that he doesn't want this to be one sided. He wants Castiel to want this as much as he does. "I want to take this off of you. Please tell me you want that too." Dean's hands grab the human's tunic while the demon is busy nibbling at Castiel's neck.

"Y-yess…" The young man's mouth goes dry and he digs his nails into Dean's bare shoulders. His tunic joins the demon's on the ground.

Dean tries to be as gentle as possible. His touches are tender, as if he is afraid Castiel may break like fragile porcelain if he wasn't careful. He covers every inch of the human's flesh with hot kisses, leaving wet traces all over his body. But it's not enough, he wants more. His trousers are getting tighter with each passing second and he feels a burning, consuming urge to take Castiel and claim him. He can't stand it anymore and, with trembling fingers, the demon starts to fumble with the young man's trousers, unlacing them. His boots have joined rest of the clothes on the ground and Castiel has not even noticed when or how it happened.

"Dean…" his breathing hitches when he sees what the demon is doing. Castiel grabs the creature's wrist, but his grasp is not as strong as all the previous ones.

"Cas, trust me, will you? I will not hurt you. I just want to make it good for you." Dean quickly kisses away all the possible protests and in the blink of an eye, Castiel finds himself stark naked under the demon.

"Just lie down and enjoy. You will like it," Dean whispers and lifts the human's left leg, pressing the heel against his shoulder.

Castiel pants when the demon nuzzles his cheek against his ankle and plants small kisses starting from the heel and going up. He tries to grab something, and as he can't reach Dean's head, he just grasps some grass on the ground.

Meanwhile, the demon is busy rubbing, kneading, and massaging Castiel's flesh, wherever his hands can reach. He showers the human's body with hot kisses, steadily moving upwards. He licks his way from Castiel's calf up to his inner thigh when he notices something and stops abruptly.

The blue-eyed man senses the change and stops moaning. He looks down to see why Dean has stopped. "What is it?" he asks weakly.

"Nothing, Cas, it's nothing," the demon assures him and sucks a bruise on Castiel’s skin, not taking his eyes off a small, black mark on the young man's inner thigh. He knows what the mark means. It's a demonic claiming mark. It means Castiel has been destined for a demon from the beginning. And Dean will be damned if he gives him up for someone else.

A loud moan rips from his throat at the thought that Castiel would belong entirely to him and the demon's lust flares up with twice as much force as before. He grabs the human's hipbones with both hands and hovers above Castiel's erect member with a sly smile.

Castiel cries out when Dean's hot mouth closes around his flesh. His back arches and toes curl when the demon's tongue licks from the base up to the leaking head, probing at the slit.

"Dean… oh, Gods…" Castiel moans and bucks his hips to get more friction, trying to bury himself into that hot, velvet depth. The demon just hums happily and doubles his efforts, making obscene, lewd sucking noises.

Dean can see from Castiel's moans and breathing that he is very close, but he does not want him to come, not quite yet at least. So, when the human arches his back, with his head thrown back ready to climax, Dean just smirks and does something that makes Castiel cry out in astonishment and frustration.

"What… what did you do to me?" The young man croaks and stares at the demon, looking so betrayed that Dean almost feels bad for his little escapade.

"A small trick. But trust me, it will be much better soon." With these words, Dean all but rips his own trousers off, throwing them aside. He quickly parts the human's legs and kneels between them.  
The demon curses silently when he realizes that he has no lube. "Cas, suck on these." He presses two fingers against the blue-eyed man’s lips. "Make them good and wet for me, will you?"

Castiel, who has lost all ability of rational thinking, closes his lips around the demon's fingers and sucks on them in earnest, twirling his tongue around them. Dean shivers at the feeling and a groan escapes his mouth.

"That's enough," he says hoarsely. "I want you to relax now."

As the first finger enters him, Castiel hisses through his gritted teeth, tensing instantly.

"Shh, it's alright. I've got you," Dean says soothingly and catches the human's swollen lips for another greedy kiss. Castiel relaxes and when the demon feels he's ready, adds another finger. He's going slow and gently, paying attention to the young man's expression for any signs of pain, but instead of discomfort he sees pleasure on the human's face.

As the last, third finger enters, stretching, and scissoring Castiel, his eyes snap open and a loud shout pours out of his mouth. Dean smirks as he has found what he had been looking for. He tries to use his saliva for lube and slicks his throbbing erection. The demon positions himself, pressing against the tight ring of muscles.  
"Cas, relax as much as you can." He buries his face in Castiel's neck. Only after the silent nod from him does he push his hips forward. He's using a small portion of his magic to soothe the pain, but it still can be felt.

Castiel sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, drawing a small amount of blood, and clutches at Dean's shoulders. There's a burning pain and he tries not to make a sound, but a small whimper still escapes from his mouth.

Dean moans loudly and lustfully as he bottoms out. Castiel is different from everyone else. He feels perfect and right.

"Fuck… Cas…" The demon can't wait any longer and he starts moving with slow, shallow thrusts.

Castiel's head rolls from side to side. The pain is long gone and he feels only pleasure. All of his cells are on fire, but it's a fire he never wants to be extinguished.

"Dean…" he moans hoarsely. "Please… I-I need more… please…" He feels the familiar pressure building up in his abdomen once again.

"Of course. You just have to ask," the demon groans in reply and wraps Castiel's legs around his waist tightly, grabbing the human's hips. His thrusts get harder, deeper, and faster.

"Is this good? Do you like it?" he pants heavily against Castiel's ear as he rams into him.

"Yes, Dean… Oh… oh Gods…" Castiel writhes and squirms under him. His scream of pleasure cuts through the darkness of the night as the demon changes the angle.

"Got you…" croaks Dean and chuckles. He hits the same spot over and over again ruthlessly.

Castiel flails and whimpers miserably. "I… I can't… I am close… I'm so close, Dean," he whispers and his nails scratch the demon's back, leaving red marks there.

"Good, that's good," Dean moans and clenches his fist around Castiel's neglected erection, matching the strokes with the thrusts of his hips.

Castiel's heart skips a beat and a choked cry gets stuck into his throat, as he arches his back and with a silent scream, comes hard. Seeing him falling apart under his weight, with face flushed and lips parted, is more than enough for Dean to find his release with a sharp cry while Castiel's muscles are still clenching around him.

The demon falls down on the human, exhausted. Castiel is eerily silent. After catching his breath, the green-eyed creature pulls out and rolls onto his side.

"Cas?" says Dean and shakes him gingerly. There is no reply. Castiel still lies motionless with his eyes closed and the demon starts to panic. Did he kill him? How could he have done that? He was being so careful!

"Cas? Hey, Cas, come on!" Dean slaps the younger man in the face, fearing he might be dead.

His fears shatter and he sighs in relief when Castiel moans and opens his eyes. "What happened?" He looks at the demon with his wide-open blue eyes so naïve that Dean can't help but burst into laughter.

"You blacked out, that's what happened, Princess." The demon grins at him, amused now that he knows the human is alright.

"Of course I didn't, I just closed my eyes. And stop calling me Princess," Castiel protests indignantly.

"Of course, you just closed your eyes. And I wasn't trying to bring you back to consciousness or anything." Dean's quiet for a second, staring at Cas with a smirk. "I knew I was perfect in bed, but did not know I was _that_ perfect," he states with a cocky smirk.

Castiel opens his mouth for a witty reply, but doesn't know what to say.

"Come here," Dean laughs heartily and grabs him, pulling into his arms.

Castiel does not protest and rests his head against Dean's chest, listening to his heartbeat. The demon's arm is around the human's waist, caressing his back gently. They lie on the grass in each other's embrace and somehow it does not feel wrong. It feels perfect.


	17. Chapter 17

Castiel stirs when the night breeze blows. It feels cool against his sweat-covered skin and sends goose bumps over his arms and back. Dean senses the small shiver and raises his head to look down at the human, who he holds in a tight embrace.

"Cas, are you cold?" the demon asks softly. His voice is drowsy after the recent pleasant activities.

Castiel mumbles something incomprehensible and just snuggles closer to get more warmth from the creature, who feels burning hot against his naked body.

"That was a long and very detailed answer," Dean chuckles and rubs Castiel's back with his hand. "Here, get dressed. Unlike me, you could catch a cold." The demon grabs the human's clothes and hands them to him.

"Thank you." Castiel takes them from the green-eyed demon hesitantly, contemplating himself doubtfully. There are obvious traces of their naughty activities on his abdomen and he twitches his nose.

Dean rolls his eyes as he understands the reason of Castiel's hesitation and snaps his fingers. Instantly all the mess disappears, as if it had never been there at all.

Castiel simply chuckles. He is getting used to Dean's tricks. Indeed, after that unbelievable trick in the stable, getting rid of some stains seems quite simple.

"Perk of being a demon," Castiel adds with a small smile.

"Yes, can't complain." Dean grins at him and straightens up to put his clothes on. He feels contented and satiated. Castiel has given him something that he has never gotten from any previous partners. The black emptiness that resides in his soul is sealed shut and Dean realizes that he never wants it to open up again.

"Tell me about yourself, Dean," Castiel asks suddenly. "I do not know anything about you."

Dean stops lacing up his boots and stares at the human with his blazing, narrowed eyes. They change color from green to brownish-yellow, resembling wolf's eyes.

The demon resumes lacing up his boots. "What do you want to know?"

Castiel shrugs. "Whatever you can tell me." He waits patiently, not asking any questions. The young man knows that everyone has secrets, things that are buried deep inside one's soul that must not be touched, so he decides to wait for the demon to talk, to tell him whatever he can share with him.

Dean's lips quirk up into a small smile. "You know, besides being a pretty little thing, you're quite clever."

The demon falls silent for a while and Castiel thinks that his question will go unanswered, when Dean lets out a sigh and begins to speak.

"When I was fourteen summers old and my younger brother Sam ten summers old, we became orphans. Both of our parents were killed by demon hunters, right at our castle. My parents had never harmed a human in either of their lives. How could they have done it when they never had any contact with them? We lived far away from humans, in the mountains." Dean plucks a shamrock stem and spins it in his fingers.

Castiel's heart wrings at hearing the immense pain in the demon's voice. It must've been horrible for two small children to lose both of their parents at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Dean." He slides his hand slowly towards the demon's and touches it gingerly. "It must be very painful for you to recall it. Feel free to stop," he mumbles quietly.

Dean looks at the human cautiously, trying to understand Castiel's emotions. The only things that he sees are concern and sympathy. Looking at Castiel's pure, innocent eyes, something melts in Dean's soul and he feels the urge to pour his sorrows and painful thoughts right in front this human. The thoughts he has not shared with anyone, even his brother.

"No," he says simply. "I want to tell you how it happened." Dean puts his hand on top of Castiel's and laces their fingers together. "It was at night," the demon begins. "The rain was pouring down and we could hear the wind howling behind the castle's windows. Our parents were sitting in front of the lit fireplace, talking quietly. I could not hear what they were talking about, as Sam teased me and I chased after him." Dean takes a shuddering breath, overwhelmed by old memories. "It happened so quickly that none of us understood what was going on. The door of the chamber burst open and fifteen armed men rushed in. The next things I saw were my mother's shocked eyes and a seax plunged into her chest. Sam screamed when she fell down on the floor, a small puddle of blood already forming under her." Dean swallows hard, his voice cracking.

"Dean…" Castiel says gently, "you don't have to…" He never finishes, as the demon interrupts him, shaking his head.

"Cas, let me finish. I want to talk."

Castiel nods understandingly.

"Five men approached and trapped Sam and me in the corner. I hid him behind my back, trying my best to protect my brother, but it was hard to do with my bare hands and my magic skills were not fully honed at that time. I could do some simple tricks, but serious magic like controlling elements or killing with just a thought was still foreign to me. It comes with time and unfortunately I was very little when this happened." Not realizing what he's doing, Dean squeezes the human's hand. 

"My father was too astonished to react and before he could understand what was happening, the hunters threw a special iron net at him. It immobilized him, binding his magic. The net was burning his skin and I could hear the flesh sizzling, but he managed to shred it. Four men blazed up instantly and died horrible deaths, but my father was too drained to cope with the rest. They simply ambushed him, slashing and stabbing him with all their weapons. One of the men grabbed me around the throat and raised his knife to kill me when I saw my father raising his head from the floor, looking at me. " _Take your brother and protect him, Dean._ " His words rang in my head and he snapped his fingers, sending me and Sam to the safest place in the castle, where no one would find us." 

The demon pauses to glance at Castiel, who looks really pale. The human's heart pounds like a drum, heavy and fast. He has a lump in his throat and with knitted brows stares at the ground. Dean removes his hand from the young man's and rubs his face. Of course he hears Castiel's heartbeat and it's nice to know that there is someone who feels compassion for him.  
"Our father sent us to the secret attic. No one knew about this room except our parents and us, not even the most faithful servants. We crawled up on the old bed and tried not to make a sound. Sam was sobbing quietly, but he was exhausted and soon after he fell asleep in my arms. I could hear the hunters' shouting and the thudding of their boots. They were trying to find us and I could feel their rage when they did not succeed. I did not sleep that night and I was afraid to move, not wanting to disturb my brother's troubled sleep. He kept whimpering and twitching all night long. They left at dawn. I waited for an hour just to be sure they had left and only then I woke my brother. What we saw was horrifying. All our servants were dead - some beheaded, some mutilated and choking on their own blood. I buried both of my parents and all the dead with Sam's help. The castle that once used to be noisy and joyous became silent and dreadful. We did not have anyone to help us and I raised my brother alone. We do not have anyone left except each other." Dean chokes up a little from all the emotions and clears his throat.

After hearing Dean's story, Castiel feels like crying. To lose both parents at such a small age is awful, no matter who you are, a demon or a human, he decides. Especially when they had been innocent. Castiel believes Dean's words. The demon has not lied to him before, so why would he lie now?

"Dean, this… this is horrible. I am sorry. I don't know what else to say." He glances at the demon, who chews the grass stem silently.

"No need to say anything, Cas. I know you care and I'm grateful for that." Dean smiles.

"What happened after?" Castiel fidgets, eager to know what became of the hunters. And he secretly hopes that the bastards met their deaths.

"When I turned eighteen, I killed their leader. I remembered their faces clearly and I tracked them down one by one. I was trying to keep it a secret, as I knew Sam would have wanted to help me with the killings. But I could not have risked with his life. I killed the last one of them when I was twenty. I was returning to the castle, covered in blood and mud, when I saw riders led by a demon with yellow eyes. It was Azazel. When he saw my sword covered in blood, Azazel just smirked and gave the signal to the riders to capture me. I kept running as fast as could, but two riders caught up and jumped at me. As they were tying me up, I heard Sam's shout. He had seen the whole thing from the castle's window and he ran out to help. I yelled at him to run away, but that stupid boy never listens." Dean lets out a small chuckle. "Of course Azazel's men caught him too. They brought us to Alastair, to his fortress, where we still live."

"Who is Alastair?" Castiel asks quietly, as if afraid to pronounce the name any louder.

Dean lets out a huff and turns to look at Castiel. "He is the owner of the fortress deep in this forest and our warlord. Trust me Cas, you do not want to meet him. The bastard has a sick imagination and knows thousands ways to torture a man."

Something in Dean's voice makes Castiel's stomach churn. Why does he have a feeling that Alastair has laid a hand on Dean?

"Has he ever… I mean… Has Alastair ever hurt you?" Castiel asks cautiously. " _Please, say no, please say no_ ," he thinks fervently.

Dean guesses his thoughts and grins. "You think too loud," he chuckles, making the human blush. "Let's forget about the bad memories. Come here," he whispers and tugs Castiel by the collar of his tunic. Their lips meet in a lustful kiss and Dean groans with satisfaction. He flips them over and hovers above the human with a smirk.

"I would not mind going for a second or a third round, but I am afraid you would die in my arms, if you know what I mean." Dean kisses Castiel's protests away. A few minutes later he breaks the kiss and moves aside. "Not that I want you to leave, but you need to get back to the village," he says reluctantly.

"Yes, you're right." Castiel stands up and hisses as he makes a few steps. He turns around and glares at the demon, who has a wide, cheeky smile on his face.

"If you try to say anything witty, I swear I'll strangle you!" he growls warningly at him.

"I wasn't going to say anything." The demon barely stifles his chuckling and hurriedly clears his throat.

They walk towards Impala, who chews some grass and swishes her tail to drive flies away. She snorts and lets out a small neigh.

Dean stops in front of her and arches his brows. "Oh, really?" He throws his head back and laughs. Impala snorts again and stomps the ground with her front leg.

"Are you sure about that?" The demon looks at her with an amused look. The horse simply nods.

Castiel just shifts his gaze from the horse to its master. This is so strange and entertaining. "What are you talking about?" he asks curiously.

"Oh, no. I'm not telling you," Dean waggles his finger at the human. "Maybe one day, but not today. Alright, get on the horse."

Both are silent while Impala takes them to the edge of the forest where the field begins. Dean dismounts the horse and pats her on the side while Castiel looks at his village silently.

"Thank you for everything, Dean." Castiel turns to the demon and gives him a small smile.

"No worries, Cas," the green-eyed creature mutters. "I want to see you again. What about you?" He pauses, and then adds, "I just want you to know that I won't force you do anything that you don't want to. Think well before answering. Though, I would like it to be mutual."

Castiel falls silent, trying to listen to his heart. He does not lift his eyes from the demon, as if the answer is written on Dean's face. In fact, maybe the answer is Dean's face. "I think that I want to see you again." He licks his swollen lips.

"I like that answer," Dean hums and cups Castiel's cheeks, bringing his face closer to put a loud and wet kiss on his mouth. "Good. Wait for a sign from me. We shall meet again," he says after pulling away.

Castiel nods. "I should go now. Good night, Dean." He smiles awkwardly.

"Good night, Cas. I hope you have pleasant dreams tonight."

Dean watches the human's figure crossing the field and when he disappears, turns to Impala. "Maybe you were right, baby. We shall see."

The horse just neighs and nudges him in the side. The demon chuckles and mounts her with a strange but pleasurable feeling in his heart.


	18. Chapter 18

Dean is in a wonderful mood when he gets back to the fortress. He goes through the gates and pats one of the guards amicably on the shoulder.

"Thank you," he grins.

The guard simply snorts and shakes his head. "I don't know why you sneak out at night, or what you do out there, but you should be careful. We all should. If Alastair finds out…" He never finishes.

"You do not have to worry about that, my friend," Dean assures him and takes Impala to the stable.

Alastair, being a cautious and clever bastard, has put up various spells and wards around the fortress, preventing the demons from teleporting themselves out of the castle. Therefore, the only choice that Dean has is to bribe the guards at the gates. He sends some curses and profanities to Alastair and enters the corridor.

There is no one in the dimly-lit corridor and Dean sighs in relief. He assumes the demons are asleep, as dead silence reigns at the castle. The green-eyed demon opens the door of his chamber and enters his room. The fire in the torches that light up the room are almost dead and dark shadows stretch on the walls.

Dean hums a melody as he closes the door behind him and pulls his tunic off to throw it on the bed when he hears someone's voice.

"And where were you wandering to, Dean?" the person asks sharply and Dean almost jumps out of his skin.

"Damn it, Sam!" the older demon barks at his brother, who stands up from the armchair and storms towards him.

Sam pushes him against the door and holds him there. He is very angry and grits his teeth. "You are a fool, Dean. Alastair asked about you a few hours ago and I lied, saying that you drank too much and went to sleep. I was praying that he would not check on you. You are acting reckless and are going get yourself into huge trouble!" Sam lets out a shuddering breath, trying to calm down.

Dean gulps nervously. Deep down he knows that his brother is right, but Dean is too stubborn and arrogant to admit it. "But we didn't get into trouble, so quit complaining like an angry wench." He wants to move, but Sam's expression makes him wary.

"Why are you staring at me?" Dean asks, confused.

Sam sniffs the air and twitches his nose. "For the love of… Dean, you reek of sex. And you smell of… a human."

Dean's frown disappears and his lips stretch into a wide grin. "What can I say? The answer is yes." He moves Sam aside to walk towards the bed and just plops down on it, tucking his hands under his head.

"Judging from your ecstatic expression, you had a great time." Sam walks back to the armchair.

"Uh-huh." Dean simply nods.

"So it was Castiel, then." Sam looks at his brother. Dean's only reply is a wink that answers the question perfectly.

The younger demon falls silent. A lot of thoughts and doubts stir in his mind and he tries to choose the most appropriate one. He does not want to spoil his brother's mood, but when he opens his mouth something quite different comes out of it. "Did you kill him?"

Dean stops humming and meets his brother's inquiring eyes. "You could say so," he chuckles.

"I don't understand," Sam mumbles and knits his brows.

"It means that I am a perfect lover." Dean laughs when he sees his younger brother's scandalized expression.

"I really didn't need to know that, Dean!" Sam exclaims and rolls his eyes.

"Well, I apologize, but you asked for the answer." Dean huffs, amused, but a few seconds later falls silent with a serious expression on his face. Sam notices it, but asks no more questions; he just waits for Dean to start talking.

"I never understood why I was so strongly attracted to him, but I know the answer now," Dean begins. "It was not only his looks that kept me chasing after him. There was something about Cas that I couldn't fathom. He has our mark, a demonic mark, Sam." Dean looks at his brother with a small smile on his face.

"Our mark? You mean the claiming mark?" Sam's mouth hangs open.

Dean nods. "Yes. And I will not let anyone touch him. I claim him," he states with certainty.

Sam shifts in his seat. "Did you… bond with him?"

Dean sits up on the bed, facing his brother. "Sam, I may think with my dick most of the time, but I am not a fool. True, I like him a lot, but it's too damn early for that and I'm not ready for bonding yet."

Sam nods. "Yes, I understand. And I'm glad you did not make foolish decisions." He stands up and walks to the door, but turns around before going through it. "And in the name of the netherworld, go and bathe! Castiel's smell is all over you!"

"You can kiss my ass, bitch!" Dean chuckles, but still gets up to take a bath.

"Incorrigible idiot," Sam huffs out laughter and walks out into the corridor.

* * *

It's early morning. The sun has just barely risen, colouring the sky in orange. Alastair stands at one of the wall-walks, staring at the horizon. Beneath the roof stretches forest of massive and old trees, at the end of which a village begins. The village, he hates with passion. He has not forgotten the last incident with the demon-banishing herbs and still thinks about revenge against them, but at the moment he has far more important things to think of.

"Milord!" a voice calls from behind and Alastair turns around. It's Azazel. He's panting heavily and almost running towards his warlord.

"What's the matter?" Alastair's nasal voice sounds displeased. He does not like to be disturbed when he's thinking.

"Our scouts have returned," Azazel informs him. "And they brought very important tidings."

"Good." Alastair says briefly. "I will take a bath and then you can bring them into the hall. You can go now." He adjusts the belt on his robe.

"Yes, milord." Azazel nods and leaves hurriedly to deliver the message.

"Hmm, I hope they have some nice things to say." Alastair narrows his eyes and smirks lopsidedly.

* * *

Besides Alastair, there are four demons in the hall. Three of them are the scouts who have returned to the fortress from a mission.

"So, what tidings do you bring?" Alastair taps his fingers on his throne.

The group leader clears his throat and makes a step forward. "Milord," he begins. "Finally we were able to track the demon hunters. At this moment there are fourteen of them and they are in Mourning Widows, but at midnight they plan to move to the north."

"Indeed, this is wonderful," Alastair almost purrs, foretasting the victory and what it will bring. "Azazel," he turns to his second in command. "Gather fifty demons, all chosen warriors. Do not forget the brothers. I need them to be by my side today. We will leave in a short while. You go and rest," he tells the scouts.

Azazel and the rest of the demons bow and leave the hall. Alastair takes his sword and caresses the blade. "I know how much you miss the blood, dear. But I promise you will be satisfied soon enough." The demon's laughter sounds ominously in the hall as he walks out to put his battle armor on.

Alastair's high hopes that capturing the demon hunters would be quick crash down and shatter. The hunters prove themselves to be dexterous and elusive. It takes the demons ten long days and nights to get to them. They ambush them in a small clearing. The fight is fierce and bloody and results in the deaths of ten hunters and seven demons; four humans are taken prisoner.

During these ten days and nights, Dean's mind is in a haze. The only thing he can think about is Castiel with his pretty face, blue eyes and kissable lips. There are moments when Sam has to shake his brother hard to drag him out of his deep thoughts, chiding him. But Dean cannot help himself; Castiel is steadily conquering his mind.

It's a rainy and windy night when they return to the fortress. The hunters are dragged to the dungeon, according to Alastair's order. All the demons who had gone with their warlord on the mission go to their chambers wordlessly, exhausted from the tiring day. Alastair simply detaches his sword and takes off his battle armor, giving them to a servant. Without a word he descends into the dungeon where his captives are.

Dean leans against the door with a goblet full of fine wine when he hears a gut-wrenching scream sounding from the dungeon. The young demon shivers and closes his eyes. It means that Alastair is busy, having fun with the captives.

Dean downs the wine in one gulp. What if Alastair ever captures Castiel? "No, it'll never happen," mutters the demon aloud and throws the empty goblet aside. He walks to his bed and lies down. His body aches, needing some rest. Even demons have their limits.

"I need to see you, Cas, as soon as possible. I need to touch you, taste you, kiss you." The demon groans and his eyes slowly flutter closed.

By the time the rain stops and the sky clears up, exposing the shimmering stars, there is even breathing sounding in the room. Dean has gone to the Land of Nod.


	19. Chapter 19

It's been more than ten days since their last meeting and Castiel cannot rest. He keeps roaming around aimlessly. " _Where are you Dean? Is everything well with you?_ " the human's mind thinks feverishly.

Castiel stops in front of the old stable, where he hid the demon recently. He puts his hand against the cracked wooden door and heaves a sigh. Dean’s image has been haunting him at nights. The memories of the demon’s strong and gentle hands, his full lips, and his hot, skilled tongue would make him moan and shiver in his sleep and Castiel would wake up hard as a rock. Of course he would take care of himself afterwards, but it would not feel the same. Only Dean could make him see stars and drown in pleasure.

"Oh gods, give me strength," Castiel groans and turns around to leave the place when he hears a loud croaking. There is a big, black raven hopping nearby. The young man frowns. It's a normal bird, but still, there is something odd about it. The bird keeps looking at him intently, making throaty sounds.

"Well, hello there." Castiel lets out a small laugh, looking at the bird. The raven croaks and hops towards him. "Now, this is strange," the blue-eyed man mutters and takes a step back. Maybe it's some kind of sorcery. Either way, there is no harm in being cautious.

Meanwhile the raven reaches him and looks up at him with its wise eyes and that's when Castiel notices something tied to the bird's leg. He slowly squats. "Do not be afraid, I will not hurt you. I'll just remove this," Castiel says softly and picks up the bird. Surprisingly the raven does not fight him. The young warrior detaches the thing that turns out to be a folded skin. As soon as he takes the skin into his hands, the bird flaps its wings and flies away.

"What…" Castiel gapes at the raven, which quickly disappears into the distance, but then his attention goes back to the skin. He unfolds it and gasps. There is a message. For him.

_"Cas, my raven will bring this message to you. I need to see you as soon as possible. I've been away for too long and all I could think of was you. I may lose my mind if I don't see you tonight. Meet me at the pile of rocks, at the same hour. I will be there, waiting for you. Please come. Dean."_

Castiel's heart starts ramming against his ribcage, his ears ring, and he swallows hard. "I will come, Dean," he whispers.

The young warrior hurriedly, almost running, goes back to his house. He just wants to lie on his bed. He's afraid that everyone will be able to hear the pounding of his heart and thinks that he should really calm down before people start asking him awkward questions.

Castiel cannot deny that Dean has captured his mind and heart. The demon has had an immense effect on him, which the human cannot resist. The young man just wants to hide in his room, waiting for the night to come, so he could meet with Dean once again and feel his arms around his body, hear the dirty little things that the demon would whisper into his ear with his husky voice.

Castiel looks up at the sky before going into the house and curses silently. It's too early and he will be tormenting himself for hours before the night falls.

* * *

Despite the fact that Dean had asked Castiel to meet him at the pile of rocks, the demon can't stand still and decides to move closer to the village. He stops at the edge of the forest, fidgeting slightly. Castiel should be there any minute. All kinds of worrying thoughts start to creep into his mind and the demon gets nervous. The green-eyed creature starts to pace back and forth, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, for fuck's sake…" he growls, annoyed.

Then there's a small rustling sound and the demon quickly turns around, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The alarmed expression on his face vanishes and Dean lets out a small sigh of relief.

"Hello, Dean." Castiel stands before him, his eyes shining at the creature before him.

"Cas…" the demon rasps and steps forward. "It's good to see you," he whispers as his hands cup the human's face.

"Likewise," Castiel replies, smiling. "I missed you, Dean," he adds almost quietly, but still audible for the demon.

The words are enough to cast unnecessary doubts away and Dean leans forward, covering the human's mouth with his hot lips. Castiel moans and puts his arms around the demon's neck, pressing his body against Dean's. The green-eyed creature groans while his hands caress his human lover's back. His lips find the spot behind Castiel's ear and plant a gentle kiss there. The blue-eyed man whimpers and bucks his hips, the movement sending waves of pleasure down the demon's spine.

Dean catches Castiel's chin, turning his head towards his face and removes the distance between them. The kiss is all bites and tongues. The demon's tongue invades the human's mouth, trying to reach every spot and corner inside. When they break apart to breathe Dean can see that Castiel's pupils are dilated, the blue almost entirely replaced by black. His breathing is heavy and kiss-swollen lips are slicked and parted.

The demon growls possessively and lifts Castiel up, wrapping his legs around his waist. The brunet just clings tight to him and catches Dean's lips while he carries him to the nearest tree. The demon stops in front of an oak tree and presses the human's back to it. It's strange, but the tree trunk is unbelievably smooth and nice to touch.

"I waited long enough for this moment." Dean's voice is even deeper from lust. "I can't wait any longer. I have everything I need right here." He chuckles and quickly kisses the human.

"Everything? Is there something else, other than me, you need right now?" Castiel asks playfully and scrapes Dean's scalp gently, sliding his fingers through the demon's dirty blond hair.

"Yes," Dean winks at him, pulling a small glass jar out of his pocket. It's full of thick, white substance, resembling an ointment. "You, I, and this." He wiggles the jar with a wicked grin.  
Castiel's next question is quickly forgotten when Dean snaps his fingers and their clothes fall off…

* * *

The forest fills with their moans and cries. There are two sweat-covered bodies under the moonlight, lost in pleasure and sweet oblivion.

"Cas… tell me… tell me how much you missed me," Dean groans as he keeps rocking into Castiel's body.

The human whimpers as the demon hits his sweet spot and digs his fingers into Dean's broad shoulders. "I missed you a lot, Dean," Castiel moans and meets the deep thrusts as his back slides up and down the tree trunk. "I would dream of you… every night. I was longing… aah…" The brunet cries out and shudders as Dean picks up the pace. "I was longing for your kisses… touches… I-I needed you so much."

"It's nice to hear that you wanted me as much as I wanted you." Dean bites Castiel's shoulder, quickly kissing it afterwards. He can see that the human is very close, judging from the sounds he is making and his ragged breathing. The demon is almost there too.

Castiel is leaking precum; his erect member is resting against his belly and he moves his hand to grab it, but gasps in shock when it's pinned between their bodies by Dean.

"No," the demon says smugly. "If you missed me so bad, you will come untouched, only from my cock buried deep inside you." The blond snaps his hips a few times, making deeper, harder, almost brutal thrusts; all of it eliciting a sharp cry of pleasure from the human.

It's enough for Castiel and his body tenses and a familiar, hot feeling that has been building up in his abdomen spreads fast as he clenches around the demon. His seed splashes over their bellies and chests, as he falls apart under Dean's onslaught with a lustful, lingering moan. The demon follows a few more thrusts later. His legs shake and hands feel too weak to hold Castiel any longer. Dean is exhausted and sated. They fall down on the ground laughing.

"Mmm, Cas," Dean sighs contentedly when the human lies on top of him and puts a chaste kiss on his lips.

"What took you so long, Dean? Why could you not come sooner?" Castiel asks quietly, as his fingers trace edges of the demon's full lips.

Dean frowns slightly and thanks the darkness Castiel cannot see it. What should he say to him? Should he tell the human that they went to capture some demon hunters, who found their horrible deaths at Alastair's hands?

"Dean?" Castiel's soft voice returns the demon to reality.

"It's Alastair. He heard about something happening in the neighboring village and just wanted us to check if it was true. We did not know it would take this long." Dean caresses Castiel's back and rests his warm palm on the human's waist. "So, did you like my birdie?" The demon chuckles, changing the theme of the conversation.

Castiel laughs. "Yes, nice raven. Though, I was not expecting it to show up."

"I told you to wait for my sign, didn't I?" Dean kisses Castiel's forehead, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"Of course, I did not forget that," the brunet objects, shifting to get more comfortable.

They fall silent for awhile. Dean is looking up at the sky, at the moon and the shimmering stars. Suddenly he huffs, exasperated.

Castiel lifts his head from his chest. "Is something wrong, Dean?"

"It seems that we will have an early winter this year," the demon answers and the young man detects a note of sadness in his voice.

"And?" Castiel asks, confused. "Why are you so sad?"

"We will need to find another place for our meetings. I don't think you would like to lie naked in snow." Dean huffs out a laugh.

"Oh…" Castiel bites his lip. He had not thought about that. He starts becoming crestfallen before Dean speaks again.

"We will find a way, do not worry, Cas."

The human believes him and his mood instantly improves. "I believe so too," he says mischievously and grinds his hips against the demon's groin.

Dean laughs aloud and his eyes crinkle. "I corrupted you. Someone's becoming insatiable." He rolls them over and lies on top of the human. "Mmm, the things you do to me, Cas…" He licks Castiel's collarbone and parts his legs to lie between them.

* * *

The village has sunk into silence by the time Castiel gets back. Even the dogs are asleep. He cannot see guards at the entrance and he hurriedly enters the village. The young warrior goes behind the houses, moving like a ghost. He really has no wish to encounter anyone and raise suspicion.

He's almost reached his house when someone steps in front of him and stands still. Castiel almost yelps, frightened, when he sees a small figure wearing a hooded cloak.

"Hello, Castiel," a voice says. It's a woman.

"Um… hello? I apologize but I cannot see your face in this darkness," the young man answers, perplexed.

"Oh, my apologies," the voice chuckles and she removes her hood. It's Tilda.

"Tilda…" The blue-eyed man swallows hard and squirms under her burning gaze. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Castiel," the woman says, smiling.

"I… I could not sleep and decided to walk around. You know, fresh air helps when… when you cannot sleep." The young man silently prays to the Gods that she believes his words.

"Oh, I see," the witch says gently. "Yes, fresh air can definitely help. Especially when you're occupied with lovemaking," she clears her throat, "with a handsome, young male." Tilda plucks some grass out of Castiel's hair and the young man just wishes for the earth to open up and swallow him.  
"I-I'm sorry, I do not know what you are talking about," Castiel stutters. "I must go. Good night, Tilda." He all but runs towards his house.

The witch just keeps staring at his back. She shakes her head and sighs. "Poor boy, you don't know what you got yourself into." She adjusts the small basket in her hand and resumes walking.


	20. Chapter 20

Castiel and his parents just have finished their breakfast when Eydis runs into the house. She is all flushed, cheeks red from running, and her locks are glued to her sweat-covered forehead.

"Eydis, sweetheart, what happened?" Brita gets up from her seat, looking at her grandchild with fear.

"Mother," the girl pants and gulps loudly. "She just gave birth to my brother."

"What?" Aggi frowns. "But it is too early for her to go in labor."

"She slid and fell," the girl explains. "And the pains started almost immediately."

"Dear Gods," Brita moans, turning pale. "We need to go and see her." She follows Eydis, who has gone outside as fast as she appeared.

Before Castiel understands what's happening, he finds himself running out of the house and joining the small group of people, heading towards where his sister lives.

It does not take long to reach the place. It's a small, wooden house and they can hear a baby's squealing coming from it. The door opens and Dagni's husband, a young and tall man named Anarr, comes out. He looks somewhat frightened, but thrilled at the same time.

"She is well, as is the baby." He smiles at his relatives after they exchange greetings.

"Gratitude to all gods." Aggi lets out a shaky breath and pats his son-in-law on the shoulder. Anarr leads them to the house and they walk in.

Dagni is in a bed, leaning against a pillow. She looks exhausted, but her face is shining from joy. There is a small, shrieking bundle in her arms. Brita quickly goes to the bed to check on the mother and the baby.

Aggi kisses his daughter on the forehead and smiles at his grandson. "You could not wait any longer, could you?"

"He is beautiful," Brita whispers and caresses the baby's cheek.

Dagni smiles weakly. "Yes, I hope he will be as handsome as my brother and my husband. Castiel, come closer and look at your nephew."

Castiel approaches the bed and squats, an awed but happy expression on his face. His finger playfully touches the baby's nose. "Don't scream, little man, there is no need for it."

Dagni laughs out loud. "You should have heard your screams when you were born. Father and I were waiting in our stable for your birth and when you arrived into this world, you would not stop shrieking for hours."

Castiel blushes slightly and clears his throat. "Well, I apologize if I hurt your ears." He kisses his sister on the cheek. "May the gods bless you and your family, Sister."

"Thank you, my dear brother. I just hope you find the love of your life soon." She gently squeezes Castiel's hand.

Aggi snorts at his daughter's words, ready to make a witty remark, but shuts up abruptly when Brita's elbow hits him in the ribs.

They stay for a little more and chat quietly so as not to disturb the mother and the baby, who have fallen asleep. As always, Eydis will not leave her uncle's side, sitting in his lap and trying to braid Castiel's hair. She tears up and almost starts wailing when her grandparents and uncle have to leave. The only thing that can comfort her is Castiel's promise that he will see her soon and bring her a special gift. Eydis wipes the tears and snot off and grins widely.

* * *

Soon after they leave Dagni's house, a cold wind blows, gathering dark clouds above them.

"It seems that winter is coming," Aggi grumbles and wraps his arm around Brita's shoulders when she shivers slightly. "We will need to start gathering wood before it's too late."

"Yes, Father," Castiel agrees. "We can go today if you are not too busy."

"Certainly. We can go to that grove at the river bank. There should be some fallen trees thanks to the strong winds."

As they reach their house, Snowball rushes towards them, yelping happily, jumping and scratching at their clothes. Castiel picks him up, pressing to his chest and smiles at his memories. He recalls his first meeting with Dean and lets out a small chuckle.

"Is there something funny you recall, darling?" Brita's soft voice returns him to reality.

"Um, no, not really. I just can't believe how much he loves us," Castiel answers hurriedly.

"Of course he loves us, look at him, how fat he has become. All he does is eat, shit, and sleep." Aggi grins at his son and scratches the dog behind his ear.

"You should wear warmer clothes. I do not want you to fall ill," Brita says before they find shelter in their house from the just starting rain.

"But it's not that cold, Mother," Castiel objects.

"You will do as I say," the woman says strictly.

"I am not…" Castiel wants to say that he is an adult now, not a little boy, when his mother interrupts him, guessing her son's thoughts.

"For me you will always be a little boy, so stop whining."

Castiel is still gaping at Brita when the woman turns to her husband. "That goes for you, too. Warmer clothes, now."

"Yes, milady!" Aggi snaps out a salute and winks at his son.

* * *

At midday, Castiel and his father strap a carriage to Ulrika and go to the river bank, where a small grove is stretched. They both carry small axes. Most of the village people go to this place to gather some wood for winter. There are many old trees that have fallen from strong winds that blow at this time of year. The father and his son check the place attentively, looking for a suitable tree.

"We should go deeper into the grove and see if there is something." Aggi points towards the trees.

"I hope so," Castiel says, laughing. "Let's pray that our people did not take all the fallen trees."

The thorough search takes less than an hour. They stumble upon a massive pine tree, which is uprooted and on the ground.

"I think we found it," says Aggi, walking around the tree.

"Looks good to me, too." Castiel touches the tree trunk. "And it's dry. It will warm the house well."

They grab the tree and with some efforts drag it to the river bank, where they have left Ulrika. But on the way back to their horse, something catches Castiel's attention and he looks to the left. There is a small hut hidden amongst the trees and bushes.

"What is it?" Aggi follows his son's gaze.

"There is a hut over there," Castiel points out.

"Oh yes. It's abandoned. No one lives there. People say there was an old hunter who lived there, but he died a long time ago. He did not have a family, so the hut is empty," Aggi explains.

Castiel's heartbeat increases. An abandoned hut. This could be very useful for him and Dean. As the demon said, winter seems to be sneaking up on them and the hut could be a good shelter for the lovers.

After they finish chopping the wood and storing it, Castiel returns to the river bank. He goes through the grove, quickly finds the hut, pushes the door open, and walks in.

He cannot see anything in the beginning. The smell of mold and moistness hit his nostrils and he coughs a few times. When his eyes get adjusted to the darkness, Castiel notices a small, wooden window casement. He bumps into something while walking towards it and curses silently.

Fresh air fills the room, replacing the old. Now it's light in the hut and the young man can see fitments well. There is a square table, a few chairs, and a bed in the room. He chuckles when he sits on it. The bed is quite soft and covered with bear skins.

"Oh, we have a fireplace as well," Castiel exclaims when he notices the fireplace in the corner. "I could not wish for anything more. I think Dean will be satisfied. Time to call our little messenger birdie."

The young warrior leaves the hut, closing the door gingerly. He goes to the river bank and looks around. When he's sure no one is around, the blue-eyed man says a short summoning spell that Dean has taught him.

Castiel waits patiently, and a few seconds later, he hears the flapping of wings. The raven has come to his call.

"Hello there, birdie." The brunet smiles and extends his arm for the bird to sit on it. The raven accommodates itself and waits for the human's message to deliver it to its master.

"Tell your master that I have found a good place for our meetings. We will not feel cold this winter," Castiel whispers into the raven's ear and his eyes sparkle as the bird flies away, carrying the message to the human's beloved.


	21. Chapter 21

"So, when is your next meeting with Castiel?" Sam smiles at his brother, who is currently sitting on the bed cleaning and sharpening his sword.

"I believe in a couple of days. Why do you ask?" Dean raises his head and looks at Sam.

"No, nothing, I'm just curious. And things are going well?"

Dean pauses and heaves a sigh. "At the moment, yes… but I am not sure how they will be in the future."

"What do you mean, Dean?" Sam turns around to face him.

"I mean that the weather is good at the moment and we can still meet in the forest, but winter is coming and it will bring snow. I have no desire to freeze my ass off or for Cas to turn into an icicle." Dean barks out a laugh.

Sam snorts. "Of course. And what is your plan? Don't tell me you are going to bring him to the castle."

Dean arches his brows and gapes at his brother. "Do you really think I am that stupid? That I would risk Cas' life by bringing him to the fortress?"

Sam understands that he has asked something foolish and shakes his head. "Of course you aren't, Dean, but love can make you do reckless things."

The older demon gets tensed. "Love? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You need to find a shelter for your meetings and… and… you know," Sam trails off, gesticulating fervently to try to communicate what he felt uncomfortable saying.

"Thank you for your wise advice. I wouldn't have guessed that by myself," Dean retorts sarcastically.

Sam just shakes his head once again. His brother is falling in love and can't even bring himself to admit it. In time he will understand, so Sam decides not to push him.

The younger demon wants to ask something when there is a loud croaking and knocking on Dean's window. But this is not the thing that surprises Sam. It's his brother's reaction. Dean jumps from his bed like he's been scalded and runs to the window.

"What the…" Sam mumbles when he sees his brother’s ecstatic expression.

"I did not expect you so soon, birdie," Dean croons and lets the bird in. The raven hops in and stills on the window-sill. Its master stares into the bird's eyes and a wide grin spreads on his lips.

"Ooh, this is wonderful. Cas, you little bastard," Dean throws his head back and laughs out loud. Then he goes to the shelves in the corner and grabs a small clay jar, with which he returns to the bird.

"Eat," Dean tells the raven and takes a handful of grains from the jar.

The raven starts pecking, twitching his wings and making contented sounds. Sam shifts his gaze from the bird to his brother. "What's happening, Dean?" he asks finally.

The green-eyed demon hums happily and smacks his brother on the back. "Cas found a small hut in the grove near the river for our meetings. And guess what?" He winks at Sam. "I'll be checking it out tonight."

"Hmm…" is all Sam can say.

"Hope there is a bed as well," Dean mumbles to himself, but his brother still catches it and rolls his eyes.

"Please be careful, Dean. Alastair seems restless nowadays and I don't want you or that poor human to get into trouble. You know what'd happen then." Sam's worried expression breaks something in Dean's heart. He puts the jar on the window-sill and steps closer to his brother.

"Sammy, I promise you nothing will happen and Cas will be fine." He squeezes the younger demon’s shoulder and gives him a reassuring smile.

"Alright," Sam sighs. "I need to go now. I need to find Ipos."

"Ipos? Why would you want to find him?" Dean narrows his eyes. Ipos is a demon who for a good amount of gold can get you anything, even impossible things.

"It's nothing. Recently I availed myself of his services and need to pay him for it." Sam walks to the chamber door, hoping that his brother will not see his paled face and will not ask any more questions.

"Alright. Whatever," Dean mumbles and turns to the raven as soon as Sam walks out of the room. He quickly writes a letter for his human lover and attaches it to the bird's leg. "Take it to Cas. I want him to know that I will be there tonight. At our usual meeting hour."

* * *

Castiel sits at the table and reads a book under a dim light from an oil lamp when he hears the clattering of hooves and a quiet neighing. He quickly closes the book and reaches the door. His right hand grips the hilt of his sword, just in case. With his heart beating in his throat, Castiel opens the door and walks into the darkness. His frown disappears when he sees Impala and the hooded figure on her back.

"Hello, Dean." Castiel smiles, relieved.

The hooded figure dismounts and reveals his face, the green eyes blazing with obvious longing in them.

“Good to see you, Cas," the deep voice says and in another instant the human finds himself wrapped up in those strong, gentle arms. Castiel grasps the sides of the demon's face and plants a burning kiss on his lips, more desperate and sensual than even he expected. "Likewise, Dean," he murmurs.

The demon spends a moment appreciating the human, but then reluctantly pulls his lips off the young man's neck to take a look at the hut behind them. There is a tiny smile on Dean's mouth, making his lips quiver. Castiel notices and asks, "Is there something funny?"

The demon lets out a small chuckle. "I see you've been busy trying to find a nest for us to survive this upcoming winter."

Castiel nuzzles his nose against Dean's ear. "Let's get inside and I will tell you how I found this hut."

"Give me a minute." The green-eyed creature turns to Impala and detaches something which looks like an amphora from her saddle. "You'll like it," the demon says firmly and follows the human as he tugs him towards the door.

"Wow, just look at it!" Dean exclaims when they get inside the hut. Castiel has cleaned the room, gotten rid of dust and cobwebs, and rearranged the furniture, and the room looks quite cozy and nice.

"Do you like it?" Castiel asks with a happy glint in his eyes.

"Of course I like it, Cas." Dean stops touching the bear skin covers on the bed. These are the new ones that Castiel has brought from home. He had thought that the old ones were not suitable and that… well, that Dean would not like it.

"What did you bring? What's in it?" Castiel looks at the amphora curiously.

"Oh, this?" The demon stands behind the human, wrapping his arms around his waist. "It's red wine. I thought we needed to celebrate finding shelter." Dean's hand slides from the brunet's abdomen to his crotch and makes a few rubs.

Castiel throws his head back and digs his fingers into his lover's thighs. "Nghh… good idea."

"Which one? Bringing wine or what I'm doing?" the demon breathes into Castiel's ear, making the human shudder.

"Both… both are good." The blue-eyed man licks his lips and rubs his ass against Dean's half hardness.

The demon's chuckle fills the room and he possessively kisses the human. "I like seeing you fall apart under my touches. You should see yourself, how pretty you are then. Now, let's taste wine."

* * *

Dean sits on a bench with his back pressed to the edge of the table. His hands are grabbing the human's hips, digging his fingers into the fabric of Castiel's trousers. The brunet is straddling the demon's thighs, rutting against him in slow movements. He cannot tell what's to blame, demonic wine or Dean's heady scent, but the human's cheeks are flushed and his eyes sparkle like sapphires under the sun's rays.

Castiel can feel that he's tipsy, but he does not care. He pulls the amphora away from his lips, covering his lover's lips with his. Dean eagerly opens his mouth and chuckles as wine pours from Castiel's mouth into his. He barely manages to swallow as the human's tongue plunges in, trying to lick out the remaining drops of wine. The demon moans at the feeling; he's getting harder with each second.

"I've had enough," Dean growls and stands up, carrying the human towards the bed. "It's time to test how strong this bed is," he says, smirking. Castiel can't help himself and laughs too.

As it turns out, the bed is very strong and can withstand their naughty escapades. Both the human and the demon look wrecked and exhausted. Their clothes are carelessly scattered around the floor, while their owners are trying to catch their breath on the bed.

Seven hours are left 'til dawn. "Sleep, Cas. I'll wake you up in about two hours," Dean tells him and tugs him closer.

"Of course, if you do not fall asleep yourself," Castiel mumbles, half asleep.

"Don't worry. I won't," Dean huffs and ruffles the human's already disheveled hair. It's good that the brunet has longish hair. Good for sliding fingers in, and other purposes as well…

After four hours, Castiel wakes up with a start. He can feel Dean's warm body spooning him from behind, with his arms tightly around the human's waist. The young man cranes his neck and sees that the demon is in deep sleep, his breathing even and relaxed.

"Damn it," Castiel curses quietly and tries to wriggle out of the embrace when Dean lets out a growl and tightens his grip around his partner. The brunet does not want to wake him up and keeps trying to get away without doing so, but after much sweating and panting he gives up and decides to wake Dean.

"You need to get back to the fortress," Castiel tells the demon. "Only a couple of hours are left till sunrise."

"Fuck, how did I fall asleep?" Dean curses, jolting up and grabs his clothes.

"I'll go and see if it's safe outside." Castiel is already dressed, strapping his sword to the belt. Dean always teases him about it, telling him that his sword cannot kill a demon, but the blue-eyed man will not listen to him. It's like a body part to him and he will not go anywhere without it.

Castiel is still little bit drunk when he opens the door and walks out. He makes a few steps towards the river when a tall figure in a dark cloak with a hood steps in his way.

"Who are you?" Castiel unsheathes his sword, holding it, ready for a fight if the stranger attacks him.

"I do not think it's necessary for you to know that," comes an arrogant reply.

Castiel wants to say something sarcastic when he and the stranger both flinch as Dean's loud yell comes out of the hut: "Son of a bitch!" followed by a loud thud and a crashing.

"What did you do to him?" The stranger bellows and the air wave almost knocks Castiel over. In that moment, he understands that he is not facing a human, but before the young warrior does anything else, the creature unsheathes his sword and attacks him.

The sparks fly around as the two swords meet; clashing sounds of steel linger in the darkness of the night. Castiel knows that fighting a supernatural being with an ordinary sword is like poking a bear with a toothpick. 

The creature growls in frustration, as he cannot defeat this mere mortal as easily as he expected, and decides to use his magic skills. He points his palm towards Castiel and a faint blue light bursts out of it, hitting the human in the chest. Castiel is thrown in the air and he thuds to the ground painfully in front of the hut, his bones almost crushing.

Castiel feels burning pain and groans. To his honor, he has not dropped the sword. He scrambles around, trying to get up. Meanwhile the attacker approaches him and before Castiel, already raised on hands and knees, can turn around, grabs his wrist, almost breaking it. The young man drops his weapon with a hiss. In the blink of an eye, a cold, sharp blade touches his throat and a hand yanks his head back.

The door of the hut opens and Dean freezes in the doorway: Castiel is standing on his knees with someone behind his back, grabbing his hair, and a sword threatening to cut his throat open.

"Run…" Castiel rasps, too exhausted to fight. Whatever magic the creature used surely affected him.

The word barely escapes the young man's mouth when the same blue light – but much brighter – bursts out of Dean's palm and strikes the attacker. The intruder flies a few feet in the air and falls to the ground like a cut tree. He does not move and has probably blacked out.

"Cas, are you alright?" Dean kneels before the human and wipes some blood off his split lip.

"I'm fine, Dean," the human assures him. "We need to check who he is. He is not human. I think it’s a demon. Maybe someone followed you?"

Dean frowns, and does not answer straight away. He helps Castiel to his feet and they walk towards the motionless body lying on the ground.

The demon grabs the stranger's shoulder and turns him over. The hood is still covering his face and Dean decides to remove it. As he's pulling it back, the man comes to his senses and groans in pain.

As the hood is removed and the moon illuminates the stranger's face, Dean cannot suppress his shocked cry.

"Sam? What in underworld's name are you doing here?"


	22. Chapter 22

Dean cannot believe his eyes: his younger brother is sprawled out on the ground before him. What's happening? What is Sam doing here? And why would he want to kill Castiel?

"Sam, what are you doing here?" Dean grabs his shoulder and stares at him with a gaze that could melt a stone.

"I wanted to tell… Dean!" Sam shouts as he sees Castiel behind his brother. "Behind you!" Sam yells frantically and tries to push his brother aside when the older demon catches his hand and holds it firmly.

"I know. Calm down!" The hissed warning makes Sam freeze. He just frowns and shifts his gaze from Dean to Castiel, who stands totally motionless.

"But… but he wants to kill you!" Sam thinks that his brother is under a spell. That could be the only reason for his reckless actions.

"Kill me?" Dean's eyes widen. "Why would Castiel want to kill me?"

"Who?" Sam sits up and slides his fingers through his hair – a nervous habit of his.

"Are you deaf? I said why would Castiel want to kill me?" Dean asks sharply and it comes out harsher than intended.

"Dean…" Castiel's soft voice and a hand on his shoulder instantly relax his lover.

"I… I thought he was a hunter and had trapped you," Sam mumbles and swallows hard. "And then I heard your yelling from the hut. I thought there were more hunters who were torturing you."

Dean is silent for a moment, but then bursts into hysterical laughter. Castiel fidgets nervously beside him until the green-eyed demon wraps an arm around his waist.

"So, you thought Castiel was a hunter who had trapped me and was planning to kill me?" Dean says with a grin.

"Yes." Sam nods. "And your shouting…." But Dean cuts him off.

"Uh, about my shouting. I was simply trying to get dressed and got tangled in my trousers. I crashed into the table and broke a lamp." The older demon rubs his neck awkwardly.

Sam makes a choking sound, but then huffs and shakes his head. As for Castiel, the human stands there with a burning face which he desperately tries to hide from the brothers. And if they notice it, thanks to all the deities, they do not make a remark about it.

"I think it's time to clear up this misunderstanding," says Dean. "Cas, this is my brother Sam. And Sam, now you know that this is Cas."

Sam finally gets up and towers over the human. He coughs and extends his hand towards Castiel.

"Castiel, I am very sorry for this misunderstanding. I didn't know who you were. Please accept my apologies." He looks guilty and sincere.

The young man shakes his hand and nods with a smile. "Apology accepted. I'm glad to meet you, Sam."

"Right." Dean claps his hands. "It's getting sentimental. Let's get back into the hut and then you can tell me the reason you're here."

"Yes, the reason," Sam says quietly and follows his brother towards the hut.

After Dean fixes the broken lamp and lights it again, they all sit around the table. There is still some wine left and the older demon pours it for Sam, who drinks it in one gulp.

"Wow," Dean chuckles, looking at his brother. "You must be thirsty."

Sam wipes his mouth with his palm and heaves a sigh. "You wanted to hear why I was searching for you."

"Yes, but first of all, how did you know that I would be here?" Dean folds his arms across his chest.

"I was there when the raven came and you said Castiel had found the hut in this grove." Sam can't help but smile at his brother's sheepish expression.

"Oh, right," Dean mumbles. "Very well, then. So, the reason why you're here is?"

"There are two reasons. First: Alastair kept roaming the castle, checking random rooms to be sure they weren't empty. I don't like it, Dean. You need to get back to the fortress as soon as possible." Sam looks at his brother pleadingly. "Remember when I told you I needed to find Ipos? I needed him for this." He pulls his tunic down so the two men could see the same snake amulet that Dean and Castiel wear.

"Sam's right, Dean. I don't want you to get into trouble because of me." The human's pleasant voice withdraws the older demon from his stormy thoughts.

"Don't worry, I won't get into any." Dean squeezes Castiel's hand and sips his wine. "And the second reason?"

"I wanted to meet him," Sam says, looking at Castiel. "I wanted to see the human who made my brother…"

Dean snaps his fingers and the younger demon falls silent. Judging from Sam's incredulous and his brother’s amused expression, Castiel can tell that his lover has used his magic to make the younger shut up.

"Don't worry, it will last only for a few minutes." Dean winks at Castiel. "I am merciful."

Sam's annoyed huffing and glaring is a clear sign of what he thinks about Dean in this particular moment.

They finish the wine and get out of the hut. They need to hurry, as dawn approaches and Alastair gets up early in the morning, taking walks in the yard or around the walls, checking the surrounding area carefully.

"Hopefully I will see you soon, Cas," Dean tells the human before mounting Impala.

"Yes, I hope so too. But please be careful, Dean." Castiel pats Impala's head. The horse rubs her head against the human's chest. Indeed, she is a very affectionate animal. Dean leans down and plants a lingering kiss on the blue-eyed man's lips.

"It was nice to meet you, Castiel," Sam says with a small smile. Apparently, Dean's magic has worn off.

"Likewise," the human says, nodding.

The demons spur their horses and gallop away in a whirlwind of dust. Castiel watches them until they disappear into the distance. He lets out a shuddering breath and goes inside the hut.

* * *

**Year 776, Day 23 of the Severe Frost Month, Alastair's fortress**

Alastair has always been proud of his library at the castle. The chamber is wide and spacious, with many book-cases and shelves, which are full and bent under the massive weight of various tomes and parchments.

The demon lord walks among the rows of book-cases, his face showing maximum concentration. He stops in front one of the shelves, taking out a thick book titled 'Secrets of the Fallen One'. Alastair is about to turn around and walk out of the chamber when something falls on his foot. Alastair picks up the faded, worn red leather and traces the contours of it with his long and lean fingers. Looks like it's a diary. Small tingling sensations tell him that this thing belonged to someone who has lived at the castle.

Alastair turns the page and grins. Of course he's right. As always. On a white paper he can read the title 'Whispers in the Darkness' written by Malphas.

"What a pleasant surprise," Alastair murmurs. "I am impressed." He holds both books firmly and leaves the library with quick steps to return to his cabinet, where he likes to read old books, enriching his knowledge in black and dangerous magic.

The demon lord sits at his table and moves the book aside, keeping the diary in his hands. He begins to turn the pages, going through the neatly handwritten texts. After a few more pages, Alastair stops and stares at the text that is written with red ink. The letters look like small drops of blood on white snow, announcing:

_"As the son of man and the son of the Fallen One bond and lie down on their bridal-bed, terror and misfortune shall await the mighty castle. Beware the son of man, who bears the mark of our kin, as he shall awake wrath and pour death on the ancient fortress."_


	23. Chapter 23

Aggi has been in a good mood since the morning. He can't stop whistling merry melodies and looks genuinely excited. When Brita asks him why he is acting like a fidgety child, he simply shrugs and tells her that they have a special reason for merriment: it's Castiel's 24th birthday.

But the real reason for Aggi's joy is something different. Tilda's prophecy has not come true; Castiel looks healthy and happy. The demon has not appeared from the woods to ruin or take his son's life, as Aggi had kept an eye on his son and protected him from danger.

Now Aggi can relax as the heavy burden has fallen off of his chest. Castiel is safe and there is nothing bad that can happen to him. With these thoughts Aggi sits down on a wooden bench, lets out a contented sigh and pats Snowball as the dog wiggles his tail.

* * *

Sam is standing in the corridor, talking to one of the demons when he notices Azazel walking with hurried steps towards Alastair's chamber. The second in command has a blank face, but from a crease between his brows, Sam can tell that something important is happening.

As Azazel walks past them, Sam excuses himself and follows the demon, who disappears behind the door of Alastair's chamber. The younger demon waits a little behind a marble column and then moves towards the door. He tries not to breathe too loud so he can catch every word that is said in the chamber.

"Did you know about its existence?" Alastair's nasal voice rings through the chamber as he taps on the leather cover.

Azazel carefully takes the diary and turns some pages, reading random texts. He lets out a small huff and returns it to the warlord. "I thought it was just a myth," he says in disbelief.

"As you see, it's real. Malphas has always been a sneaky bastard, with too many secrets. I always wondered why he carried a quill and papers all the time. Now I see why." Alastair leans against his chair and squints. "There is one specific prediction that got my attention. Open it, it's written in red ink."

Azazel obeys and finds the required page with the text. His frown deepens after reading it, as the prophecy does not promise anything good.

"Do you understand what that means? A human with a demonic mark will be the reason for our death!" Alastair bangs his fist on the table and an amphora of wine falls off the table, shattering on the floor.

Azazel swallows hard and nods. "We must prevent this from happening."

"Of course," Alastair hisses. "Take as many warriors as you may need and find me this human. Bring him here, so I can kill him slowly and painfully! I don't care how you do it, just bring him to me! Now go, I have some other things to think about."

Azazel bows respectfully and moves towards the door. His brain is already thinking up ways to fulfill the command. The second in command knows that it will not be easy, but he will find a way to capture the human.

Sam understands that he has only a few seconds to move away from the door and he runs as fast as he can. He needs to find Dean and tell him about Alastair's plans.

"Dean!" he yells frantically, searching for his brother. "Hey, have you seen my brother?" Sam asks one of the servants, grabbing her wrist.

"He's in the basement with other demons, drinking," the girl tells him.

"Thank you," Sam mutters and runs towards the stairs that lead to the basement. But he does not have to go too far, as Dean walks up with a mug in his hand.

"What's wrong, Sammy? Did you miss my fabulous company?" he grins and hiccups.

"Dean, I need to tell you something, it's important!" Sam grabs his arm and drags him to the furthest corner, where no one can see or hear them.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Dean narrows his eyes.

"I… I heard Alastair and Azazel talking. They found Malphas' diary with prophecies in it. And one of the prophecies says that a human with a demonic mark will cause the downfall of the fortress." Sam takes a deep breath and continues. "As you told me, Castiel bears our mark and he is in danger because…"

"Because of what?" Dean grasps Sam's tunic, his nostrils flaring and eyes flashing thunder.

Sam calmly removes his brother's hands. "Because Alastair just ordered Azazel to find the human and bring him to the fortress."

Dean turns deathly pale and opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Castiel is in danger and he needs to protect him at any cost. Sam senses his brother's thoughts and puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Dean, you know what you must do. The time has come."

The older demon stares at his brother for a few seconds and when he sees Sam's gentle expression and support, he nods slowly.

"Yes, I guess so," Dean croaks. "I will do it tonight."

* * *

Castiel pants heavily as he makes his way through knee-high snow. The damn bag does not make it easier either. The moon and stars shine brightly in the sky, illuminating his surroundings. The young man puffs into his frozen hands and adjusts the messenger bag on his shoulder. The smell of roasted meat teases his nostrils and his stomach makes a loud growl.

"Thanks to all gods," he sighs when he reaches the hut. Castiel brushes snowflakes out of his hair and opens the door. He has come a bit early, but Dean should be here after a while. He barely manages to close the door when someone pins him to it, instantly covering his mouth with a pair of hot lips. Castiel gasps, but relaxes when he recognizes it's Dean.

"I did not expect you so early," he whispers against the demon's lips.

"I thought it would be a small surprise," Dean chuckles and wraps his arms around Castiel's waist. "So, my little human has birthday today, has he not?" The demon bites his lover's bottom lip gently.

"Uh… yes," Castiel smiles awkwardly. "And I brought some food and wine." He detaches the sling bag and puts it on the table. It's very warm, almost hot in the hut, as Dean has taken care of a fire in the fireplace. The light is enough to make the room bright.

"Mm, smells good. What did you bring?" Dean stands behind the human, nuzzling his nose against the brunet's soft hair.

"I've brought lots of roast beef, cheese, fresh bread, red wine and…" Castiel turns around to face his lover and adds with a smile, "an apple pie."

Dean moans and tightens his embrace around the human. "Have I told you that you're perfect, Cas?"

"I don't think so. Otherwise I would remember it." The young man smirks and cups Dean's face.

"I apologize, I'll make sure to tell you next time." Dean grins and kisses him slowly and lustfully.

Castiel takes the food and drink out of the bag and sets them on the table. The process takes a while because Dean keeps trying his best to interrupt his lover by kissing and groping him. The demon stops reluctantly when the blue-eyed man threatens to starve him if he continues his escapades.

"Cas, I've got a special gift for you," Dean begins after they finish eating. Castiel, who is straddling the demon's lap, licking apple sauce off of Dean's fingers, raises his head and stares at his lover.

"A special gift? I don't want anything, Dean. You are everything that I need," he says and the demon's heart skips a beat.

"But still. Who knows, it could be very useful," Dean continues, as his hand rubs circles on the human's back.

"You should not have bothered, but thank you, Dean. It means a lot." Castiel murmurs and inhales the demon's heady scent. "Alright, where is my gift?" He chuckles and looks around.

"It's not something that you can see." Dean leans back and rests his elbows on the table. He throws his head back and laughs when Castiel's face shows obvious confusion. "It's something that I will transfer to you."

The young man frowns. "I don't understand, Dean."

"Of course you don't understand. It's hard to explain. Let me show you what I mean." Dean kisses him. "Now, relax and look into my eyes. I'll do the rest."

Castiel nods and does as he's told. He keeps staring into Dean's eyes without blinking, while the demon presses his fingertips to his temples and leans closer. The green ocean mingles with the blue oblivion and Castiel feels that he's drowning. Then he hears it. He hears different words, pronounced in various languages; they jingle like small bells, sound like musical notes plucked from the strings of harp, rustle like dried leaves tossed in the wind.

"Dean…" Castiel gasps in awe as a realization hits him. "Is this what I think it is?"

The demon nods. "Yes, now you can speak every existing language, including the ancient or dead ones."

"Indeed, this is something special," Castiel smiles. "Thank you, Dean. I like your gift a lot."

The demon lets out a small chuckle. "This is not it. I have another gift for you. Far more important. But I will need your consent for that one."

"My consent?" Castiel arches his brow. "What else have you got for me? And why do you need my consent?"

The demon rubs his forehead, searching for right words. "I want to bond with you, Cas."

"Bond? What does that mean?" The young warrior shifts in Dean's lap.

"It means… if… if we bond, it will be forever. It will give me the opportunity to hear your thoughts, sense your emotions and feelings. I will always be able to find you, no matter where you are. If you are in danger I will always be able to come in time and save you." Dean whispers and kisses the human's neck.

"Will I hear your thoughts as well?" Castiel slides his fingers through Dean's hair, scraping his scalp gently.

"No, you will only be able to send them to me. I'm sorry about that, but there isn't anything I can do about it. Bonding with a human works differently," Dean chuckles.

"It's alright. I'm not worried," the human assures him. "You have my consent, Dean. How is it done? What should I do?"

"It's done through blood." Dean's voice goes hoarse and he clears his throat. "You will drink my blood as I will drink yours. You can still refuse if you do not want to do it. I will not force you."

Castiel falls silent, as if weighing the options and thinking about his final decision. "No, I want to do it," he says firmly. "Let's do it."

Dean nods silently and unsheathes his sword. He makes a neat cut on his wrist and offers it to Castiel. "Drink it."

The human takes his hand and presses Dean's wrist against his lips. He darts his tongue out and touches the wound gingerly. Dean moans at the sensation and nods encouragingly. Castiel closes his lips around the cut and starts to suck. It sends such an immense wave of pleasure to the demon that Dean moans loudly and grips the edge of the table.

"Cas…" he pants heavily. "That's enough, or I may come in my trousers."

The brunet removes his lover's wrist from his lips. Blood is smeared on his mouth and Dean leans forward to lick it off of the human's full lips.

"Your turn, now," the demon tells him and hands him the sword. Castiel makes a similar cut on his wrist and reaches his hand towards Dean.

The green-eyed creature's eyes do not leave Castiel's face while he drinks the human's blood. Castiel flushes red; drops of sweat cover his forehead and his pupils dilate as the same burning lust seizes him. The young man's breathing becomes ragged and he licks his lips. Suddenly his clothes feel too heavy and unnecessary.

Dean gently kisses Castiel's wrist and the cut disappears. "One more thing left to do," he whispers. The demon mutters some strange, unfamiliar words under his breath. As soon as the last word leaves Dean's mouth, Castiel feels lightheaded. There is a tugging sensation, something that pulls him towards the demon. Like there is an invisible rope that connects their souls.

"I think I feel it," Castiel says quietly.

"Why don't we test it?" Dean winks at him. "Think of something."

Castiel lowers his gaze and bites his lip, trying hard not to laugh at the naughty thought that crosses his mind. Finally he looks up at the demon with a curious look on his face.

Dean smacks his ass, standing up and pulling the human towards the bed. "I like your idea. And yes, we need to take them off." He starts to pull his tunic off while making his way towards the bed.

* * *

The demon's fingers dig into Castiel's hips, holding him firmly in place as the human enthusiastically straddles and rides him. His head is thrown back, mouth open, emitting loud and wicked moans as his lover rocks up into him with hard and deep thrusts. Castiel is so close, just a little more is needed to push him over the edge.

"Dean…" The blue-eyed man whimpers as the demon closes his hand around the human's erect member and strokes it.

"I've got you! Come for me, Cas." Dean's deep voice rips the most powerful orgasm out of him and Castiel comes with a hoarse shout. His body spasms and shivers while Dean makes a few more thrusts and joins him in ecstasy with a loud moan.

" _I love you… I love you… I love you…_ " Castiel screams in his mind, overwhelmed by such intense sensations.

His eyes roll back in his head and the young man collapses on Dean, breathing heavily. The demon wraps his arms around his lover and kisses his forehead. He stares at the ceiling in silence, waiting for the human to catch his breath.

"Me too, Cas. Me too," he says fondly, placing a chaste kiss on Castiel's lips.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And shit hits the fan....

He knows that he must catch this human before it's too late. He cannot let this creature bring doom that will make the fortress fall. Azazel has always been a loyal servant to his master and will stay that way without a doubt. Therefore, he cannot let Alastair down, but the task is not easy. The villagers are clever and have taken all necessary measures against the demons. They've been maintaining the town's protection for years without fail; they learned their lesson after the last incident.

Azazel sighs and rubs his forehead, as if trying to calm his stormy thoughts. He has no idea how to find and capture the human, but he will find a way like he always does. The demon empties his goblet in one gulp and leans against his chair. He should rest, as he has stayed awake the whole night, trying to think of something. Lack of sleep, tension, and concern take their toll and the demon's yellow eyes slowly close. Sleep wraps its hands around his neck, dragging him into oblivion. Azazel stops fighting and yields.

_He is walking through a long, dimly-lit corridor that he doesn't recognize. It's not their fortress; the walls and the floor are blood-red. Dark shadows dance on them, creating an eerie and dreadful atmosphere. The corridor suddenly ends and Azazel stops in front of a big mirror. The demon stares at it, but the strange thing is that he can't see himself in it. There is no reflection._

_"For the love of the Blackened Heart, where am I?" he mumbles and looks around._

_The mirror gets blurry; some invisible force coats its surface in ice. Inch by inch the mirror gets covered in white, deadly crystals, leaving small cracks in the glass. Azazel watches as a ghostly finger writes on the mirror: "Your subconscious"._

_Azazel snorts. "What am I doing here? You do not know the answer to my question. I have already checked."  
"That is a lie," comes the short reply._

_The demon frowns; maybe he has missed something? "So you are telling me that, deep in my subconscious, I know the answer to the question of how to find and capture the human, when I have no idea who he is or how to get him. Sounds very intriguing. And would you be so kind as to tell me the answer?"_

_There is a long pause before the hand starts drawing the letters. Azazel's mouth goes dry and he has trouble breathing. His eyes widen with each drawn letter. He looks comical with such a crazy expression and probably it's good for him that he cannot see his reflection in the mirror._

_"But what does this mean?" he hisses and turns around, but there is no one who could give him a more precise answer. It's his subconscious, so no one is there; he is alone with himself._

_The ice starts to melt and the letters stretch towards the bottom of the mirror. But before they finally disappear, Azazel takes one last look at them, as if trying to sear the words into his brain. The words that read: Dean Winchester._

The second in command wakes up with a start, his heart beats fast and loud. Azazel grabs the wine jug, but it's empty.

"Damn fool," he growls and calls for his servant to bring more wine.

The servant comes back with wine and fills Azazel's goblet with trembling hands. He does not want to get into trouble.  
"Enough. Now, get out of here." The demon gestures for him to leave and the servant is more than happy to oblige.

"What are you hiding, Dean Winchester?" Azazel whispers as he sips his wine. The demon's yellow eyes squint in concentration and stare at the ceiling, motionless.

* * *

Dean does not know what makes him restless today. He just has a bad feeling sitting deep inside his gut, for which there is no special reason. There is no fuss at the fortress; Alastair and his second in command seem to be busy in the library, rearranging the books. And Dean knows when Alastair is busy with books he does not care about anything else. It's very good, as it means that Castiel is safe for the time being.

The gut-wrenching feeling does not leave Dean, even when he gets out of the fortress to meet with Castiel. Impala senses her master's worries and gives him a questioning neigh.

"I don't know, baby, I just have a horrible feeling," Dean mumbles and pats her neck.

As they move through snow and get nearer to the hut, the young demon's heart starts to beat frantically; he can hear blood rushing in his ears and Dean has to shake his head to calm down a little.

"What is wrong with me?" he groans and dismounts the horse, tying the reins to the nearby tree.

There is no light in the hut, which means Castiel is not here yet. But Dean doesn't have to wait any longer, as there are hurried footsteps in the snow and the human appears on the path.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he says apologetically when the demon grabs him, trapping in his arms "I couldn't get out earlier, I was helping my parents."

"That's alright, Cas. You're here now." Dean brings their faces together and connects their lips in a gentle kiss.

"Let's get inside." Castiel wriggles out of his lover's embrace and grabs the demon's belt, tugging him towards the hut.

"Oh, you're in a playful mood, aren't you?" Dean chuckles and smacks Castiel's ass, making the young man yelp in surprise.

As soon as they enter the hut, Dean presses the human against the wall, catching his hands and pinning them above the brunet's head.

"I like seeing you like this," he growls and bites Castiel's neck, quickly kissing it afterwards. "Under me, looking helpless."

Castiel lets out a small chuckle. "Dean, I think you're forgetting that I am one of the best warriors from Blazing Blades. I could give you a good fight if I wanted to."

The demon snaps his fingers and the oil lamp lights up. "Would you still resist me if I did this?" the demon purrs and puts his palm on the human's groin, gently squeezing it.

"Yes. I-I would…" Castiel's breath gets stuck in his throat. "I'm not as helpless as you think. Do you want me to prove it?"

Dean decides to play along and nods with a smile. "Alright. I'm waiting."

"Have I ever told you that when I was a little child, I stabbed a demon?" Castiel tilts his head and looks at Dean with an amused expression.

Dean's smile freezes on his lips and he can't swallow, as his mouth goes completely dry. He lets go of Castiel's pinned hands and turns around, facing the bed. "No, you haven't. How did it happen?" The demon's voice is dangerously peaceful, just like the calm before the storm.

Castiel straightens his shirt and goes on: "Well, I was five summers old when the demons attacked our village. One of the villagers entered your forest and plucked some apples and because of this, your warlord decided to punish us all. My mother was trying to hide me when one of the demons tried to kill us, but I had a special dagger with me, given to me by my father, and I wounded him. Then our witch threw demon banishing herbs in fire-beds and Alastair had to leave."

Now he understands why he had such a terrible feeling. Dean's fists are clenched and he tries his best not to shake from various conflicting emotions. His eyes start to sting and he bites his lip to suppress a bitter moan that threatens to escape his throat. What irony! Castiel is the one who had tried to kill him, the one the demon had tried to find and destroy all these years. And now they are bonded forever! His only functioning brain cell tells Dean that maybe it's time to forget his grudge, but then….

"Did you like it when you stabbed him?" Dean asks, already knowing the answer.

"I wanted to kill him, but unfortunately, I was not strong enough," Castiel answers without hesitation, but when he hears Dean's shuddering breath, he steps forward and puts his hand on the demon's shoulder. "Are you alright, Dean? Have I ups-" 

He never finishes, as the green-eyed creature whirls around, punching the human hard in face. The power of the blow splits Castiel's lips, breaks his nose and sends the human to the floor.

All Dean's dark feelings and emotions stir and babble to the surface within him. His demonic nature unleashes and steps forward, devouring the softer side. Dean's eyes turn liquid green and blaze with raging fire. His nostrils flare and teeth are bared in a feral snarl while he towers above the human, who is kneeling on the cold floor and staring at the demon with a terrified and shocked expression.

"So it was you," Dean hisses and grabs Castiel's shirt. "It was you who stabbed me with that fucking dagger!" the demon bellows and the walls of the hut quake from its power. "Because of you, I had to suffer from unbearable pain and no one knew if I would even survive! Look at me, you son of a bitch!"

After dozens of punches Castiel is barely conscious and he has no strength left to fight Dean off. The air comes out wheezing from his mouth and he grasps the demon's wrist weakly.

"Dean… p-please… stop…"

The raised hand ready for the final blow freezes in the air and Dean's lips tremble as he struggles with himself. Castiel's face is a mess, one big, bloody mess. After a long pause, the demon hauls the human to his feet.

"I never want to see you again. Do you hear me? If I ever see your face, I will rip you to shreds, do you understand me? And I will find a way to break this fucking bond. You pathetic little piece of shit," Dean says with loathing, shaking his head. Then he simply grabs Castiel and throws him to the furthest wall. After hitting it with his head and back, the brunet passes out immediately.

Dean stares at him for a few seconds and then storms off to the door. He does not fight his tears of anger and frustration any longer. His whole world has shattered into pieces and it hurts. It hurts more than the wound from the Kiss of Death ever did.

The demon mounts Impala and gives her a kick in the sides. The horse gallops away with frightening speed in the silence of the night, which is soon broken with a bitter yelling.

Back at the hut, Castiel lies on the floor, curling up into a ball as he weeps in silence.


	25. Chapter 25

Dean does not realize how or when he gets back to the fortress. The way back is a blur, as if his eyes and mind refuse to function. The demon makes sounds like an injured beast, a lethally wounded beast which is in agony, waiting for death to come to stop the unbearable pain. Dean feels devastated and dead inside. It's like his heart has been ripped out of his chest and stomped on. And by who? By Castiel, the human he fell in love with.

When he sees the gates of the fortress, Dean takes a deep breath and composes himself. The guards let him in and the demon exchanges a few jokes with them, putting on a nonchalant, cheerful mask. He takes Impala to the stable, giving her sufficient food and water for the night. The horse senses her master's distress and looks at him with sad eyes, as if she knows what has happened between Dean and Castiel.

"Don't look at me like that. And don't judge me. He deser…" Dean stops abruptly, crying out from sudden pain and doubles over, grabbing the reins with one hand. "What is this?" he hisses and puts a hand against his thudding heart. Dean groans and straightens up, trying his best not to pay attention to the unpleasant sensations.

The second wave of pain catches him when he enters the castle. The demon falls down on his knees, gasping for air. This is much worse than the first one. Dean looks around with crazy, searching eyes, not sure what he expects to see there. Then he hears muffled sounds, like someone is sobbing quietly.

"Who's here?" Dean asks hoarsely and gets up on shaking legs. "Answer me!"

The sounds get louder until it turns into a bloodcurdling howl. There is so much pain and desperation in it that the demon’s hair stands on end.

"Where are you? Come out," Dean whispers and makes a few steps forward, but freezes to the spot when he hears the words, full of dismay:

_"Why, Dean, why?"_

The green-eyed creature gives a startled yelp when he realizes that it's Castiel's voice he hears in his head. It must be the bond working. Dean had said that he would've been able to hear the human's thoughts and feel his emotions. So, this is how Castiel feels? Well, not a delightful sensation.

"Shut up, shut up!" Dean grabs his head and runs through the corridor, intent on getting to his chamber as soon as possible, so he can lie down on the bed, fall asleep, and never wake up.

He almost makes it to his chamber when he runs into someone. With an "oompf" sound, Dean steps back, ready to smash the bastard's face.

"Watch where you're going, Winchester!" Azazel says with enviable calmness.

Frustrated and irritated with Castiel's sobs in his head, Dean grits his teeth and snarls, "Fuck off, Azazel!"

If only it were possible to turn time back and prevent the words from escaping his mouth. But alas! They stare at each other, unblinking and unmoving. Dean swallows and opens his mouth for a pertinent apology when Azazel grabs his shirt and slams the younger demon against a wall.

"Say that one more time and I will shove those words down your throat, you useless…" Azazel falls silent and squints his eyes. Under the dim light, he can see a silver pendant on a chain around the younger demon's neck. He lets go of Dean's shirt and his throat clicks as he swallows.

"Out of my way, Winchester," Azazel growls and pushes the younger demon away. Dean, too surprised and dazed by all that has happened, simply runs toward his chamber, not stopping until he gets there.

Meanwhile, in the corridor, Azazel runs trembling fingers through his hair as a sly smile stretches on his lips.   
"Hmm, the Shadow Serpent? Why are you wearing this charm pendant, Dean? Why have you been sneaking out of the fortress and, more importantly, where have you been wandering to?"  
  
Dean storms into his chamber, slamming the door behind him. He leans against it and closes his eyes. "Fuck, oh fuck," he swears, knowing well that now he must be very careful, as Azazel will keep an eye on him. What did the bastard see, anyway? He had confusion and shock written all over his face. But Dean does not understand more than this.

Castiel's sobs and whimpers resume and they drive the demon crazy. He needs to find a way to break this damn bond; he cannot withstand all these sounds the human makes.

"Shut the fuck up!" Dean yells, enraged, grabs an amphora and throws it into the wall. Uncontrollable rage awakens within him and he starts to shatter and break every single object that he can grab. Deafening noises sound from his chamber, hanging in the air like a heavy curtain of desperation. In the temporary moment of oblivion, he doesn't hear the door open as someone walks in.

"Dean, what on earth are you doing?"

The demon grabs some wooden piece that used to be an armchair and turns around, ready to strike, when he sees his younger brother gaping at him with an incredulous look on his face. Sam takes a look at the place that used to be his brother's room. It looks chaotic: broken pieces of furniture, shattered glass, clothes thrown around the room.

"What do you want, Sam?" Dean's breathing is ragged.

"What happened to you?" Sam mumbles and reaches his hand out to take the piece of furniture out of his brother's hand, but Dean flinches and moves away.

"I'm not in a chatting mood, Sam," he says, frowning and lowering his hand.

"I thought you were with Castiel. Has something happened?" Sam steps back when his brother's eyes blaze with evil fire and Dean snarls. "Don't you ever mention that name again! You hear me? Never!"

The voice sends chills down Sam's spine, chaining him to the spot. Something bad has happened, he can tell that much, and he wants to know what. His brother will not tell him, it's obvious from his expression, so there is only one way to find out. Sam has to be quick, otherwise the older demon will beat the living daylights out of him for even trying.

With lightning speed, Sam grabs his brother and slams him into the wall, instantly pressing two fingers behind Dean's earlobes. Definitely the surest way to immobilize a demon.  
"Sam… don't… don't you fucking dare…" Dean wheezes, grits his teeth and attempts to break free from the invisible chains, but all his efforts are futile.

"Dean, shut up and stop struggling," Sam says firmly and looks into his brother's eyes and mind. The scenes of the recent events run before his eyes like a frightened deer escaping from a hunter. Sam's eyes widen with each second while his brother pants and sweats under his intense gaze, trying to fight this stupid, binding magic.

Sam jumps back as if he's been attacked by a venomous snake. The images he's seen are scary, dark, and painful. How could his brother do this to the person he loves? No one has a right to cause such pain and distress to another person.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" Sam's voice has gone hoarse, but he doesn't care. There are much more important things. "Why the fuck did you do it, Dean?"

"You don't know anything," Dean yells suddenly, shaking from anger. Today is one of the worst days of his life, indeed. "You want to know why I did it? Fine! I did it because he deserved it! And he should be grateful that I didn't kill him, though I really wanted to. He's the one who stabbed me with that damn dagger all those years ago! He is the one who I've been trying to get to and destroy!" Dean's voice shakes as he looks at Sam for support. He needs to hear it from his younger brother that he did a right thing.

An unexpected, almost bone-crushing punch in the jaw catches him off guard and in the next instant, Dean finds himself sitting on his ass on the floor. Well, that hurt! Sam must've put a lot of power into the blow. The older demon rubs his jaw and looks up at his brother, whose lips form a thin line on his bloodless, pale face.

"He was a child, only five summers old. For the love of the Netherworld, Dean! You tried to kill his mother and him and the boy tried to defend her from you. What would you have done if you had been in his place? You've fucked up big time, Dean! Just pray that Castiel forgives you. Though, I wouldn't if I were him. You brainless son of a bitch." Sam shakes his head and turns around to leave his brother's chamber with hurried steps.

Dean just keeps sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. He is too stubborn to confess his failure, still thinking that he's done the right thing, and tries to erase all thoughts related to Castiel from his mind.

"Life will go on as usual, with its ups and downs, good and bad days, drinking, fights, gambling, like it's always been. My life didn't start with you, Castiel, and will not end with you. I will forget you. It may take a while, but in the end, time will do its work. You will turn into dust of forgotten memories," the green-eyed demon says quietly, trying to sound confident and self-assuring.

And Dean would believe his own words if there was not a faint, tugging sensation at his heart, telling him that no matter what he says or does he will never be able to forget the human who he hates and loves so desperately.


	26. Chapter 26

Castiel lies on the floor of the hut like a broken puppet. He has a splitting headache and even the smallest of movements causes him tremendous pain, but he has to get up and leave this place. With some effort, he lifts himself up onto his hands and knees and scrambles for the door. There is nothing left for him here. Dean has left, abandoning him heartbroken and in excruciating pain. How could he have known that Dean was the demon who had tried to kill him and his mother? Castiel is tearing apart, not knowing how to feel about the whole situation. Should he hate Dean for his past mistake and become his enemy? Or should he forgive him? But then, what difference will it make if he forgives the demon? Dean does not want to see him ever again. If their paths cross, the demon will kill him for sure. His eyes were full of hatred and rage when he was saying those words to Castiel.

The blue-eyed man cannot suppress another sob that hits him like an overflowing river. Fresh tears roll down his cheek as he pushes the door open and crawls out of the hut. The night's chilling air somewhat clears his head and the human looks at the stars above.

"Why, Dean? Why?" he howls at the night sky and bangs his fist against the frozen ground. No one answers and the silence is deafening.

* * *

"Don't freeze your balls, Asger," Tilda chuckles and waves at the guard, who is standing at the front gate of the village.

"Damn weather," the man curses. "Where are you going in such freezing cold?"

"Well, I don't have time to sit and wait for more suitable weather. My mixtures can't wait," the witch says to him with a smile.

"Be careful, Tilda," the man says. "I've heard wolves come out of the forest at night."

"Do not worry, I know how to protect myself." Tilda adjusts her small basket and goes through the gate.

She walks slowly, paying thorough attention to every tree, bush, or plant that is not covered with snow. She plucks a leaf here, a twig there, digs up some roots, and puts them all in her basket. The witch croons some sweet melody, enjoying her doings.

Suddenly the woman stops and raises her head to listen. She can hear a muffled groan, like someone is in pain. Tilda detaches her dagger from her belt and makes a few steps toward the noise.

"Who's here?" she asks calmly, without fear in her voice. Is there anything that can frighten her? As an answer, the witch hears wheezing and coughing.

The woman decides to get closer to the bushes where the sounds are coming from. She manages to take two more cautious steps and gasps.

"Castiel?"

There is Castiel lying in the snow, breathing heavily, with half-closed eyes. His once white tunic is scarlet red, soaked in blood.

"What happened to you, darling?" Tilda kneels near him and helps him sit up. "Come on, Castiel. You need to get up."

With the woman's help, the young man stands up and instantly reels, but Tilda's unbelievably strong hand holds him firmly. The young warrior looks around with an absent, dazed look and the witch understands that they will need to have a long talk. She already has some suspicions about what happened, but she will not be sure until Castiel explains. And the boy will tell her, oh yes he will.

Their walk toward the gate is slow and hard. Castiel is in obvious pain, though he tries not to show any sign of it. But Tilda still can hear a few grunts escape his mouth. Surprisingly, Asger does not ask when Castiel managed to leave the village.

"You cannot go home in this condition," Tilda says quietly. "Your parents will lose their mind if they see you like this."

"What should I do then?" They are Castiel's first words for the whole time he's been walking with the woman.

"Come with me, I will help you."

* * *

Tilda's hut is so warm and Castiel feels a dead weight of tiredness as they go inside. The witch takes him to a corner where her small but comfortable bed is. The first thing she does is to wet some cloth and wipe the dried blood off of Castiel's face. After she cleans him up, Tilda returns to the table and adds more oil to the lamp.

"Take your clothes off and lie down," she tells the boy.

"W-what?" Castiel stutters, utterly confused.

"I said take your clothes off and lie down. I need to check your injuries." Tilda takes out a small stool and walks towards the bed.

Meanwhile, Castiel takes his tunic and boots off and lies on the bed. There are a few dark bruises on his arms, another big one near the ribs.

"Trousers and undergarments too."

Castiel blushes and swallows hard. "Is… is this necessary?"

Tilda smiles, understanding his discomfort and gently takes his hand. "Castiel, my boy, I pulled you out of your mother's womb from between her parted legs; you made your first scream in my hands. You are like a son to me. Don't feel ashamed of me or what I need to do. I've seen many naked, wounded, and mutilated men who needed my help and their nakedness was the last thing we cared about. Should we start?"

Castiel gulps and nods slowly; he knows that Tilda is right. He takes his remaining clothes off while the witch brings the lamp and puts them aside.

"Good. Now, hold still. You can close your eyes if it makes you feel better." The woman's voice sounds soothing and Castiel obeys. Tilda holds the lamp above the young man, checking his body for possible serious injuries. So far she has found none, just a lot of bad bruises. Some of them are black as coal, some yellowish-green.

"Why did he do this to you?" Tilda asks quietly.

"What?" Castiel's eyes snap open.

"Don't try to fool me, my boy," the witch says non-maliciously. "I know that you have a lover. A male lover. I also know that he is not human." Tilda grabs a small jar with ointment in it. Her fingers delicately rub the medicine into Castiel's skin.

"But… but h-how?" The blue-eyed man raises himself on his elbows.

"The prophecy said that you would meet a demon at the age of twenty-three. But now I see that the Gods did not show me all the details. They did not show me that you two would become lovers. Turn over, darling, I'm done with your front parts."

Castiel is speechless, not knowing what to say. He just turns over as Tilda has asked.

"Also, your father thinks that my prophecy failed and that you are safe, as you have already turned twenty-four and there has been no demon appearing in your life. Poor Aggi does not know that you've been sneaking out to meet with him for passionate lovemaking." Tilda chuckles, but it dies abruptly when she looks down at Castiel's back.

The bruises that the human has on his arms and ribs are nothing compared to this. The young warrior's whole back is one enormous blackness, shocking and intimidating with its form.

"Why did he do this to you?" She repeats her question and dips her fingers into the yellow ointment and spreads a thick layer on Castiel's back. "What was the reason?"

"I told him that when I was a child I stabbed a demon who wanted to kill my mother and me," Castiel sighs.

"And?" Tilda squints her eyes.

"Dean is the very demon who tried to do it." The young man stops, takes a shuddering breath and continues. "When he found out that I was the child who stabbed him, he beat the living daylights out of me. He said that if he sees me again, he will kill me. Dean hates me." The last words are barely above a whisper.

Tilda stands up without saying a word and takes the lamp to the table. She sits down on a chair and detaches a small bag from her belt. It's the bag where she keeps her sacred stones. The witch mumbles some words and throws the stones on the table. Black stones form a circle with a single white stone in the middle.

"Of course," Tilda murmurs and glances at Castiel, who is dressed and sitting on the bed. "You are wrong, dear, he does not hate you."

"What are you talking about, Tilda?" The young man stares at her incredulously.

"Look at the stones. He is hurt and he feels betrayed. Do not forget that he is a demon, Castiel, and he is not supposed to love. Emotions and feelings are hard for him. See these stones? This is his heart," Tilda points at the dark circle. "And this is his love for you," she points at the white stone. "Yes, his heart is darkened but it holds your love. And he will prove his love to you. If you love him too, you will forgive him."

Castiel's eyes sting and he feels as if someone's invisible hands are strangling him. He looks down at the floor, not wanting the woman to see his watery eyes.

"Your tunic is ruined. I will get you a new one. My son's tunic should fit you well," the witch says and goes to the furthest corner of the room, towards an oak chest drawer. Her son had died many winters ago at the age of twenty-five on a battlefield.

Castiel's sorrowful eyes follow her movements. "You are wrong, Tilda. Dean hates me," he whispers and buries his face in his hands.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grass month - Old name for April.

Alastair is not happy — not that he is a happy demon in general, but now he looks like a thundercloud, ready to flash lightning and thunder. The tidings he's just heard from his second in command are hard to believe.

"Are you sure about that?" he asks Azazel calmly, as if it's not a big deal and they are talking about some usual things.

"Yes, milord. I saw it clearly," the yellow-eyed demon says with a nod. "What should we do with him? Kill him?"

Alastair frowns as he thinks deeply. "No," he says after a while. "I want to find out for what purpose he uses it. Also, you will go and replace the original necklace with a fake one." The demon lord narrows his eyes and makes a purring sound like a well-fed cat.

"That is a perfect plan, milord," Azazel chuckles. "We will be able to spot his location immediately if he leaves the fortress."

Alastair nods. "True. One more thing. We both know who he got the charm necklace from. Tell Ipos to get the fake Shadow Serpent so we could replace the original one with it. As to his punishment, I will think of it later. I will make sure he learns his lesson well. Alas, I cannot kill him, as he is irreplaceable in what he does."

"Certainly, milord. As you wish."

Alastair stops pacing back and forth in the chamber and turns to Azazel. "I am disappointed, Azazel. I feel betrayed and my trust is broken. I would never think that one of my best warriors would do such a thing behind my back. I will not leave it like this, you know me well. And when I find out what's been happening, he will wish that he'd never been born."

Azazel nods and smirks. Dean Winchester was in deep shit, indeed. Poor bastard.

* * *

The severe winter, rich with snow, is over — to everyone's relief. It leaves slush and mud on the ground. The past six months had been very cold, freezing almost to the bone-chilling point. What can be worse than being alone in a cold bed, shuddering and swallowing bitter tears, knowing that the one you love is the cause of your pain? Knowing that the one you love can hear your whimpers and sobs, and he doesn't give a damn about it? Probably nothing, and Castiel is sure that this is the worst thing that has happened to him in his life. He would rather feel physical pain, ten times worse; then, at least he would not make a single whimper. But being like this is devastating. The constant, dull pain in his heart is something that does not want to go away, no matter how many months pass. Castiel is dying inside and there is no cure for it.

* * *

Dean had been wrong when he had assumed that time would erase or at least weaken his memories of Castiel. How could that happen when he would hear the human's thoughts, filled with enormous sorrow, heartbreaking words whispered into the darkness of his room, while staring absentmindedly at the ceiling?

There had been a furious, nonstop battle in Dean's heart between his emotions. One day he would feel extremely guilty about what he had done to Castiel, the next day his demonic nature would take over and rage would be the gloating winner.

Every night during the winter, the demon would lay his head on the pillow, closing his eyes, secretly hoping that that night Castiel would be silent. But it would not matter, because Dean could sense the human's feelings and emotions too, not only the thoughts or muttered words.

* * *

On the fifth day of Grass Month, everything changes. Dean is in a foul mood as he's had a small fight with a fellow demon. He'd gone to his chamber and plopped down on the bed, drifting off to sleep. After a few hours, his sleep full of nightmares is interrupted abruptly and the demon jolts up in his bed, breathing heavily and covered in cold sweat.

"Castiel…" he croaks and jumps out of his bed, putting his trousers on and grabbing his sword in hurry.  
It seems everyone is asleep, as the corridor is empty, and no one hears as he runs through it. Dean's heart tries to leap out, and he does not even notice that he's barefoot or without a shirt. He has to hurry up or something bad will happen, something irredeemable.

* * *

"Something is wrong with our son, Aggi," Brita tells her husband worriedly, looking at their son. Castiel is standing in front of their house under the warm rays of the sun. He's been quiet since morning.

"Nothing is wrong with our boy, don't you worry, my love," Aggi comforts her, though he knows that she is right. Castiel has dark circles under his eyes, he has lost weight, and looks like a pale ghost.

"No, Aggi. My heart tells me that something terrible is going on with Castiel. A mother can always feel when her son is in pain." The woman shakes her head. "Maybe you should talk to him?"

"Alright, I will, but a little bit later," Aggi promises her.

Castiel turns around towards his parents. "I will go visit Dagni. I have not seen them for a long time. I'll come back in a few hours." He leaves after his parents nod.

"What is bothering you, Castiel? What are you hiding from me, my boy?" Aggi mumbles to himself when Brita goes to the kitchen to bake cinnamon rolls. Now he can see clearly that Castiel is tormented by something, and he is trying to hide it, not wanting to frighten his parents. He will talk to his son and find out the reason before the pain devours Castiel alive.

* * *

Castiel appears only after midnight, drunk out of his mind, barely walking. He stumbles and falls a few times before entering their house.

"Mother… fa-ather… you-you have n-no idea… hoooow much I looooove you…" he hiccups and grins. He hugs both of his parents tightly and staggers towards his room.

Brita rubs her forehead as she feels a headache coming and looks at her husband.

"Tomorrow. I will speak to him tomorrow. He will not understand a word right now." Aggi shrugs and sighs.

"Yes, tomorrow," Brita nods and takes a mug of water to Castiel. He may need it soon.

The blue-eyed man wakes up after two hours and sits up. He has been sleeping in his clothes on the bed, his head pounding from all the ale. Castiel has never been a heavy drinker, but today he wanted to get drunk and forget all sorrows and worries.

He touches the necklace, the Shadow Serpent, with his fingers and a sad smile appears on his lips. "Probably you are tired of hearing my thoughts and cries, Dean. I promise you will never hear them again."

He stands up with great difficulty and clutches at the pillar in the room. Everything spins and Castiel feels dizzy and nauseous. Something warm and fuzzy brushes against his legs. It's Snowball. The dog feels his owner's distress and whines.

"Hey there, my little friend," Castiel rasps and squats to pet the dog. Snowball presses his cold and wet nose against the young man's palm before licking it.

"Be a good boy, alright? Do not anger them." Castiel kisses the dog's head and walks out of his room, then from the house.

It's a cold April night, with the full moon and stars shining brightly in the sky. Castiel feels strange; his sorrows disappear with each step and he feels light like a heavy burden has fallen off of his chest. He hides and waits a little until the guard at the gates goes to take a piss and then sneaks out of the village. It's a surprise that he does not fall down this time, as he's still very drunk.

Castiel crosses the field and enters the forest. Instantly, he feels the difference in the air. Here, it's heavy and thick, making breathing difficult. It wraps its invisible form around the human in vice-like grip and the young man unbuttons his shirt, trying to ease his breathing.

He walks for half an hour before reaching his final destination. Castiel glances at the silver surface and chuckles. He spins around, opening his arms in invitation.

"Dean Winchester," Castiel yells. "I am letting you go! You are free from me! And I wanted you to know that I loved you. But you don't give a shit about that, since you hate me." The blue-eyed man grabs the thin silver chain and yanks it down. He looks down at the charm necklace in his hand before dropping it on the ground.  
"… that I loved you," he repeats, whispering, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Castiel steps into the freezing water and shudders when it reaches his knees, but he keeps going. It does not matter that the water is cold; he will not feel anything soon anyway. The young warrior tries to remember the night sky above, the moon and the stars, before he disappears into the darkness.

He splashes and turns from side to side when the water reaches his neck. A few more steps and he no longer feels the bottom under his feet.

"Come on, where are you, bitches?" he yells. "I'm here, come and get me! I said 'get me'!" He bends his head back and laughs. His laughter is hysterical, like a madman's.  
The water in this lake must be intoxicating, poisoning his mind with illusions, as there is no way a familiar figure would be standing on the shore looking at him with a terrified expression.

"Oh and again my mind is giving me an image of you before I die. But I can't complain about that, Dean." Castiel smiles blissfully.

"I'm not a hallucination, Cas! Get out of the water, now! Please!" the voice yells from the shore and suddenly it sounds so realistic and loud that Castiel instantly sobers up.

"Dean?" he asks quizzically.

"Cas, get out of the water right now!" Dean shouts and jumps into it himself. "For the love of everything that is holy to you, get out of the lake!"

There are a few feet left between them and Dean has almost reached Castiel when the human cries out and stills.

"No!" the demon roars as he sees a white hand gripping the human's throat. There are hands everywhere, all over Castiel's body, three pairs of ghostly hands.

"Dean…" the young man whispers and the demon's name on his lips sounds like a benediction.

The last thing Castiel sees before the hands drag him under the surface of the water is a pair of hysterical, crazed green eyes full with wild terror, concern, and… unconcealed love.


	28. Chapter 28

The images of their first meeting, the festival in the village, the incident at the stable, their first time, all run in front of Dean's eyes as his mighty roar shakes his surroundings. He will not let these damn creatures drown the love of his life. Only now he realizes how foolish he has been acting and the demon curses himself for being so violent and cruel when beating up the human. But this is not important now; he must save Castiel or die trying. Dean knows that his chances are low, as no one has ever escaped the Sirens' claws. Once the prey goes in to the lake, they are doomed. But Dean is not afraid of death, not if it earns him Castiel's forgiveness. And he does not know what else he can do to get the human to forgive him after how terribly he treated him.

"You won't get him. I won't let you!" the demon snarls and dives underwater.

* * *

Castiel does not fight against the creatures that are dragging him to the bottom of the lake. It's so quiet and peaceful underwater. Maybe the ones who used to say that death is painful and unpleasant were wrong? Maybe Castiel's own death will be beautiful, like these creatures, which caress his body with their ghostly, pale hands. He can hear their cooing voices, lulling him to sleep as his vision little by little gets blurry.

He yields to their comforting caresses, placing his fate in their hands. The water is so clear this deep down, illuminated by strange insects that look like fireflies. Castiel feels like a king being carried by beautiful maidens towards his throne. And everything is mesmerizing and splendid until he feels a sharp pain in his left arm. The water muffles his shout and when he turns his head to see the cause of his pain, his eyes go wide and he starts to flounder, trying to break free from their tight grips. There are no traces of pretty maidens anymore. There are only terrifying creatures with red, glowing eyes and rotten, sharp teeth, hungry for his blood, and one of them is chewing a shred of his ripped shirt.

His lungs scream for air, his whole body aches and he tries to break free from the creatures while they bite at his legs and arms, digging their claws into his flesh. The water bubbles and turns red around them and Castiel is half-unconscious when he feels a strong hand gripping his arm tightly. The force yanks him out of the Sirens' grip, pulling him towards the surface. Castiel turns his head to see what just happened and sees Dean. They stare at each other for a few seconds before the demon signs for him to keep swimming.

There is a deafening screech and the human clutches his ears. Dean's sword plunges into one of the Sirens' chests, cutting the black, scaly body like butter. The water turns into a whirlpool around Dean and his rivals. Despite his wish to help the demon, lack of air and the roaring water wall prevent Castiel from doing so.

He's thrown into a violent coughing fit as soon as he breaks the water's surface and inhales deeply. Castiel looks around for something that he can use as a weapon so he can return to the bottom and help Dean. He swims to the nearest tree, with branches hanging low above the water, and grabs one of them. The young man's hands are trembling as he breaks off a thick branch, plucking the leaves off. He could use it as a spear; he's been trained well enough at Blazing Blades to know how to use improvised weapons.

Castiel takes a deep breath, hoping that it will be sufficient, and is ready to dive when the surface of the lake stirs, forming bubbles and circles on it. Unexpectedly, Dean rises out of the water, gasping for air greedily with a bloody sword in his hand.

"Dean!" Castiel cries out, swimming towards him, gripping the wooden 'spear' tighter in his hands.

"Cas… get out of… the water…" the demon pants heavily, "and find the… necklace… Now!"

"But…"

"I'll be fine. I'm right behind you. Go and find it," Dean rasps.

"We can go together," Castiel says stubbornly, not moving from his place.

"I said…" The demon never finishes as one of the Sirens dives out and sinks her teeth deep into the demon's neck, drawing blood out. Dean yells from pain and tries to use his sword, but he can't. Then he reaches his hand back, grabbing the creature's neck, ripping her off of his flesh. He punches her hard in the face, smashing her cheekbones. The siren sinks into the lake shrieking.

Castiel freezes in fear and falls in some kind of stupor, unable to move or shout, until Dean's hand grabs his tunic and throws him out of the lake and onto the shore. The blue-eyed man does not have time to feel pain as he finds himself sitting on his ass, staring at the lake with Dean in the middle of it.

"Don't try to come into the water. I won't be able to do it again. Find the charm necklace and get out of the forest. Please, Cas." These are the words the human hears before two Sirens jump at the demon and drag him underwater.

"Dean!" Castiel screams and falls down on his knees. "Noo… no, no, nooo!" he shouts and bangs his fists on the ground. "Why? Why are you doing this to me?" He yells at the skies above. "What did I do to deserve this? Is it because I fell in love with a demon?"

No one answers his cries and he stares at the lake in dead silence. " _Find the necklace._ " Dean's words ring in his mind and Castiel gets up on shaking legs, which feel like they've turned into cotton. He staggers to the bushes, where as he remembers he dropped the necklace. A thorough search confirms his doubts and the young man puts it around his neck.

It starts with small tremors, which soon turn into violent sobbing. Castiel falls down on his knees and covers his face. He can say that the goal to kill himself is partly achieved, as he has lost the other half of himself – Dean. Tilda was right about Dean when she said that he still loved the human. Why would the demon risk his life saving him if he hated Castiel?

"Please come back, Dean. I swear to all the Gods that I won't have any hard feelings towards you. I'll forget everything. And I'll walk out of your life if you wish. Just come back, please…" Tears are streaming down Castiel's face, escaping through his fingers.

"I like everything except the walking out part," someone rasps and the young warrior forgets how to breathe. He removes his hands from his face and sees the demon sitting in front of him in the water: beaten, bruised, and bloody, but alive.

"Dean…" Castiel's voice is broken and he's shocked, but his instincts are still sharp as he lunges forward, grabbing the demon's arm and trying to drag him out of the water.

"Calm down, Cas. They're dead," Dean says fondly when he sees concern and worry on the human's face. 

"You killed them? All of them?" Castiel asks, not believing his ears.

Dean nods with a small smile and walks out of the water. They sit on the ground in awkward silence, though the human can't resist all the overwhelming emotions that are stirring inside him. His heartbeat increases, remembering that Dean can hear his thoughts and feel whatever the human feels. He gulps nervously, but to Dean's honor, the demon does not say anything that would make Castiel uncomfortable.

It's still one of the early days of spring and the nights are cold, so it's not a big surprise when the brunet starts to shiver in his wet, icy cold clothes, which stick to his body like glue.

"You are cold," Dean says, breaking the silence.

"I will live," mutters Castiel and fidgets on the ground. His tremors are getting worse and soon after his teeth start to chatter.

"Take off your clothes," Dean says suddenly.

Castiel jumps slightly and stares at him. "What?" A small amount of fear creeps into his eyes.

The demon instantly feels it and tenses up. His lover is scared of him! What has he done?!

"Cas," he begins gently, "you need to get out of your wet clothes before you fall ill and die. My body heat can warm you up. Usually, I could use my magic skills to dry them, but I don't have enough energy right now."

"I don't want to," Castiel protests weakly, already knowing that he's losing this battle.

"I won't harm you. I swear upon my brother's life." The demon lowers his gaze, biting his lip.

Castiel studies his face for a few seconds and then starts to undress. His wet clothes fall heavily on the ground and he can't stop shivering. Damn cold!

Dean nods and follows his example. An extra pair of clothes join Castiel's on the solid ground.

"Come here," Dean whispers as he sits on the ground, opening his arms in invitation. The young man makes a hesitant step forward and the demon grabs his wrist gently, pulling him onto his lap.

"You're frozen." Dean lets out a small chuckle as he wraps his hands around the human, pressing him against his chest.

"Yes, cold water will do that to you," Castiel mumbles, closing his eyes and feeling terribly comfortable in his lover's arms. The heat Dean radiates is burning hot. The demon rubs Castiel's arms, back, and legs, trying to warm him up and step by step the human stops shivering.

"I'm sorry." Dean presses his forehead to Castiel's shoulder. His words are quiet, but the brunet can hear what he says. "I am so sorry for everything that I've done to you. I can't express how much I regret it. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I still beg for it. Please forgive me, Cas. Because… because…" He trails off, swallowing hard. "Because I can't live without you."

Castiel's heart skips a beat after hearing Dean's confession. He moves away a little to take a look at the demon's face and he's met with sorrowful green eyes.

"But if you decide not to forgive me, I will und…" The gentle touch of Castiel's lips to his cut him off and Dean moans loudly and lustfully into the kiss.

"Cas… I've missed you so much… Oh, Gods..." Dean grunts, wrapping one arm around the human's waist, tugging him closer, while the fingers of his other hand slide into Castiel's thick hair. "What's so amusing?" He arches his brows when he hears his lover's chuckle.

"You mentioned Gods, Dean. And if I remember, you said you don't give shit about them." A smile dances on the human's lips.

"Uh… well…" the demon stutters. "Screw the Gods, come here," he rasps and flips them over so he can lie on top of Castiel and claim his lips in a sweet kiss.

After hours of much wanted and needed lovemaking, both lovers are sated and exhausted. Castiel lies on top of his beloved, playing with the demon's short hair and listening to the funny purring sounds that Dean makes. He yelps when Dean's hand smacks his bare ass after he tugs at the demon's hair a little too hard.

"Cas," Dean begins cautiously.

"Mm?" Castiel asks, half asleep.

"I need to ask you a favor." The demon sits up and leans on his elbows, looking at the human.

"What is it? What favor?" Castiel decides to move himself aside and sits on the ground.

"I… I need you to give me Kiss of Death," Dean blurts out and falls silent.

Give him his demon-killing knife? Why would a demon need it? 

"The dagger? Why?" Castiel narrows his eyes. "What do you need it for, Dean?"

"I may need it soon," says the demon without any further explanations.

Castiel looks at his lover, trying to understand what's happening in his mind, but he can't think of anything specific. But he knows one thing, whatever the reason is, it's not pleasant and he fears that something huge and horrendous is coming their way.


	29. Chapter 29

When three days have passed since the incident at the lake and Dean hears a knocking on the window, he knows what it means. There is their messenger raven, waiting impatiently to get inside the chamber. Either it has brought good tidings or bad.

"Come in." Dean smiles and lets the raven in. The bird hops inside, contemplating the walls attentively.

The demon picks it up, examining the bird's leg. There's something attached to it. At first Dean thinks that it's just a folded skin with a message on it, but as soon as he removes it, he can tell from its weight that there is something inside the skin. Dean unfolds it and sees that, it's none other than the dagger, Kiss of Death, which Castiel wrapped up carefully in the skin and attached to the raven's leg.

"And here we meet again," mumbles Dean and squints his eyes, glaring at the weapon. "I remember you.” The demon keeps turning the dagger over, inspecting it from all sides.

"Right, we need to keep it safe, so no one finds it." Dean goes to his bed and fumbles underneath it. He has a small secret place under it, to keep some things away from too-curious eyes. He takes out a marble tile and puts the dagger into the hole gingerly.

"All done." The demon smiles, contented, and places the tile back, sealing the hole safely. He returns to the raven, giving the bird its deserved reward – grain.

"Eat quickly, I have to go soon. I hate these morning drills. Alastair, you stupid bastard," Dean grumbles when he recalls what awaits him - hours and hours of exhausting training outside in the yard. This new invention by Alastair drives Dean crazy; he cannot see the point in five hours of training each morning that start at sunrise. In his opinion, the demons don't need it; even without training they could easily defeat hundreds of humans. So, why was Alastair so eager to train them 'til they dropped?

The green-eyed demon shakes his head to get rid of the disturbing thoughts. Alastair has always been a strange demon. Strange and scary. One could never tell what was going on in his head, what he was thinking or planning. He could hide his intentions perfectly.

Meanwhile, the bird finishes pecking and Dean lets it out. With a heavy sigh, he leaves his chamber to join Sam and the rest of the demons in the yard for another exhausting day of training.

As soon as he disappears down the corridor with quick steps, the door of his chamber creaks open and a tall figure sneaks inside.

"Now, now, where do we start?" Azazel's yellow eyes sparkle and he cracks his knuckles.

He starts his search at the bed, throwing a pillow and covers on the floor. Thorough checking reveals nothing. Whatever the demon is trying to find, it's not there. He snaps his fingers and the bed returns to its previous state – neat and untouched.

Checking the chest drawer doesn't give him positive results either. Azazel thinks feverishly, concentrating hard on possible options. He goes from corner to corner, touching the walls for possible secret places. There are none. The demon is getting angry and frustrated when he spots a shelf with small pots on it.

"What do we have here?" he asks himself and heads towards the shelf with determined steps. Two of the pots are empty but the third, the biggest one, is heavier than it ought to be. Azazel takes the pot to the bed and holds it upside down. He watches grain pouring out of the pot and is already thinking of stopping the process, when something shines and falls into the middle of a grain pile.

Azazel's frowning expression changes into a blissful smile as he takes the thing from the pile of grain. "There you are," he murmurs and caresses the Shadow Serpent. "You gave me quite a headache," Azazel smirks as he slides the amulet into his right pocket.

"And here we have your fake brother." The demon takes out a similar amulet from his left pocket and looks at it. The amulets are almost identical, with a slight difference in color. The original one is a bit brighter, but it's very hard to tell the difference.

Azazel puts the fake amulet into the pot and pours grain over it, quickly returning it to the shelf, where it belongs.

"You are dead, Dean Winchester!" He bends his head back and laughs.

* * *

Alastair is looking at the yard and his training warriors through a window. He knows they are perfect, but the demon lord is never satisfied — he wants, no, he needs everything to be beyond perfection, including his warriors. The trainers are well experienced and skilled, teaching their pupils necessary tricks, maneuvers and movements.

There is a knock on the door and it withdraws Alastair from his thoughts.

"Come in," the demon lord calls, turning away from the window.

His second in command walks in and Alastair can see from his joyous expression that everything went according to their plan.

"So?" Alastair asks, quirking his brow.

"It's done, milord," Azazel smirks. "The amulets are changed."

"Good," Alastair rubs his hands together. "Did anyone notice you?"

Azazel shakes his head. "No, I was very careful. I waited for appropriate moment."

Alastair nods, smiling. He's very satisfied with the work done by his subordinate and feels generous. With the snap of his fingers two silver goblets and a jar of rare, very old wine appear on the table.

"Drink with me. You performed well." Alastair takes the goblets, offering one to Azazel.

The yellow-eyed demon nods his appreciation and takes the offered drink.

"May the Blackened Heart help us catch Dean Winchester at the right place and time."

The demons clink their goblets and drink with victorious smirks on their faces. A little time, that's what's needed, all the rest is done.

* * *

Despite the fact that Dean had saved Castiel's life at the lake, risking with his own at the same time, the demon had not considered that it would've been enough to earn the human's forgiveness. That's why he'd try to please Castiel in any possible way, fulfilling his small requests without hesitation. When the brunet had told him that he did not want to continue meetings at the hut, because the villagers started to roam frequently around that area, Dean agreed instantly. They had no other choice than to meet in the forest.

"Dean," Castiel sounds muffled, his nose pressed to the demon's neck. It's a warm spring night and they are lying under the moonlight on Dean's cloak. Actually, the demon is lying on the cloak with Castiel on top of him. The human's become fond of this position, which Dean does not mind at all. On the contrary, he loves when he has his arms wrapped around the young man tightly, pressing him to his chest.

"Mm?" the demon answers drowsily, not opening his eyes.

"May I ask you something?" Castiel's fingers play with Dean's lips and he gasps quietly when the demon catches them, biting playfully.

"Of course. What do you want to know, Cas?" Dean kisses the human's fingertips.

"I remember that when you showed me the dancing sirens and we made love near the lake, you kept staring at my thigh." Castiel falls silent for a second, but then continues, "I know you were looking at the mark. Does it have a meaning? Or is it just a birth mark? And tell me the truth, don't lie!"

Dean huffs exasperated, "When have I lied to you?"

"When?" Castiel chuckles, "You often lie and try to trick me while playing cards. You don't like losing, do you? But that's alright, I don't mind, in the end I still win."

"Oh, shut up, Cas," the green-eyed creature laughs and rolls them over. "Your mark has a meaning, yes." He parts the human's legs to kneel between them. His fingers travel up from Castiel's shin to the inside of the young man's thigh, where the mentioned mark is.

"And what meaning?" Castiel's breathing hitches at the touch. No matter how many times they make love, Dean's touches always make him lose his mind with lust.

"It's a demonic claiming mark," Dean explains, leaning forward and lovingly brushing the mark with his lips. "It means that you've been destined for a demon from birth. For me. You've been destined for me." The demon lunges forward and seals their lips. Castiel moans and bucks his hips, his lust waking up and flaring with twice the force.

"Dean," the young man rasps and grabs his lover’s shoulders. "I want you."

And he almost passes out from downpour of feelings when Dean's burning lips touch his neck, where his pulse beats frantically.

* * *

Castiel wakes up startled from his nap, with the feeling that something is off. Dean is still snoring slightly under him, looking perfectly calm and happy.

"Dean, wake up!" The brunet shakes him gingerly. The only response he gets is an unhappy grunt.

"Dean!" This time Castiel shakes him harder. "Wake up, something is happening."

The demon snaps his eyes open and sits up. "What do you mean something is happening?" But the human does not need to answer the question, as the ground starts to quake, and soon after Alastair, along with twenty other demons on horseback, appear from the woods.

Dean turns deathly pale and freezes, but quickly comes to and runs towards his sword, near a pine tree, where he has it driven into the ground. Unfortunately, Alastair is faster. Castiel sees the familiar blue light flashing out of the demon's palm, hitting his beloved between the shoulder blades. Dean cries out from pain and drops to the ground, paralyzed.

"Dean, Dean, Dean," Alastair dismounts the horse and walks to him. "Did you really think that we would not find out about your dirty secret?"

"Cas… run…" Dean croaks and coughs up a mouthful of blood. With immense effort, he straightens, standing on his knees.

Castiel's heart is thundering against his ribcage and yes, he feels fear, but he is not a coward that would run away and leave Dean alone. Quickly, like a flash of lightning, he rolls over and grabs his own sword. Unlike Dean, he had always kept the sword by his side.

"Get away from him!" the young man barks at Alastair, who is standing with his back towards him.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Alastair turns around with a mocking smile. "Is he the human you've been sneaking out of the fortress for? Is he the one you've been fucking all this time?" Alastair calls over his shoulder to Dean. The demon lord snorts, giving Castiel a skeptical look.

"Shut your mouth!" the human snarls at the demon lord, pointing his sword at him.

"Cas… what are you doing, you fool?" Dean moans bitterly and summons all his energy to get up. He must think of something very quickly, before it's too late. But the demons that came with Alastair do not make the task easier. They watch him attentively, monitoring all his movements.

Meanwhile, Alastair seems to be enjoying the dangerous game (for the human, of course) that Castiel has started.

"Let me make you a deal. If you defeat me, and by that I mean if you make me drop my sword, I will let you go, both of you. I will not harm either you or Dean." Alastair grabs the reins of his horse and pats its head.

"What if I don't agree?" Castiel asks; all his attention is directed at the current situation and not to the fact that he's stark naked in front of the demons. But that is not important, not when they are talking about a matter of life and death.

"Then I'll simply kill both of you. At least you could try to save your lover's life," Alastair says simply. "So, what do you say, human?"

Castiel swallows hard, scanning the surrounding demons. He cannot see any other option than accept the demon lord's offer. "I agree. If I make you drop your sword, you will let us go. You will not harm Dean or me." He glares at Alastair.  
"Cas, no! Don't you dare! He's a liar! Don't listen to him! He'll trick you!" Dean yells and unexpectedly attacks one of the riders, dragging him down from the horse. He punches the demon hard to knock him out and grabs the victim's sword.

"Stop him, but don't kill him. I need him alive!" Alastair gives the order and unsheathes his sword.

The living wall made of twenty demons block Castiel and he can't see whatever is happening to Dean. He only hears snarling, cursing, and yelling. His heart almost stops beating when Dean cries out; obviously someone has wounded him. Castiel wants to run forward and ram into the wall, tearing the demons apart, who are causing pain to his beloved and trying to kill him, but Alastair has other plans.

"Not so fast, pretty boy!" Alastair chuckles and strikes a blow. But thanks to his experience from Blazing Blades, Castiel can give a good fight to the demon lord.

But as minutes go by, the young warrior has hard time concentrating on his own fight when he does not know if Dean is doing well. And at the exact moment when he blocks another of Alastair's blows, the remaining, living demons part and four of them drag Dean, bloody, bruised, and bound, into the middle of the clearing.

"Dean, No!" Castiel exclaims, forgetting about Alastair. The moment is lost and the demon lord uses it to his advantage. Without much effort, he just snaps his fingers and Castiel's sword shatters into pieces.

"You…" the blue-eyed man hisses when he understands that the demon has been messing with him.

"What can I say? I love games." Alastair laughs wickedly and turns to Azazel, who has been quiet during all this time. "Take him to the fortress." He points his sword at Dean.

Castiel feels fuming rage inside him and attacks Alastair with his bare hands. He grabs the demon's cloak with all his force, trying to slam him into the nearest tree. But the demon lord easily slides out of the grip, instantly appearing behind Castiel's back and twisting his arms behind his back painfully.

"No brain in that pretty head of yours, boy!" Alastair snarls and holds Castiel's crossed wrists with one hand, while with the other hand he grabs handful of his hair and slams the human's face against a tree trunk.

"Alastair! I will end you! Don't you dare!" Dean roars when he sees what his master is doing. He tries to break free, but nothing comes out of it.

"We'll see about that." Alastair's eyes light up with mad fire and he slams Castiel's face against the tree one more time.

Blood pours down from the young man's nose and brow and he feels lightheaded. Before he sinks into a dark oblivion, he feels how Alastair throws him over his shoulder, carrying towards the horse and giving the final order to someone:

"Go to the fortress and tell the executioners to have everything ready for our return!"


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me :D

Dean hasn't felt such wild fear for a long time. There had been only a few occasions in his life when overwhelming, consuming panic had seized him. First, when his parents were killed and he was hiding with his brother in the secret room, and second, when the sirens dragged Castiel underwater. And in neither case had he been afraid for his own life. It had been his brother and his beloved, the only people he truly cares about. And now, after their capture and return to the fortress, after a few hours spent in the dungeon, separated from Castiel, when the guards finally drag him and the human to the main hall, Dean Winchester is terrified.

The hall is full of demons; all of Alastair's warriors are there. The demon lord himself is sitting on his throne, with Azazel by his side. As soon as Dean and Castiel are dragged inside the hall, the demons part and let the guards move towards the throne.

"Oh, look who's here." Alastair's low chuckle makes the tense atmosphere even worse. "Did you rest well, Winchester?"

Dean wants to reply with something snarky, but nothing comes out of his mouth. He feels thirsty and his mouth has gone dry. The younger demon just rattles the chains around his wrists in frustration.

"Leave him there." Alastair points at Dean. "But bring the human to me."

Castiel's breathing hitches when the demons grab him and drag him towards Alastair. He tries his best to resist, but his bare feet slide against the cold, stone floor and maybe fighting with two demons is a little too much for his strength.

"Cas… No, don't touch him!" Dean's voice is so desperate that it's painful to hear. He grasps one of the demons by the arm, trying to stop him, but receives a powerful punch in the face that instantly splits his lip.

Castiel is still writhing and panting, trying to break from the demons' hold, when he's brought before Alastair's throne. The demon lord slowly stands up, covering the remaining distance between him and the human. He takes a thorough look at the young man, as if examining his naked body.

"Though you are a reckless fool, your taste is good." Alastair throws a glance at Dean. He does not say anything else, just grabs Castiel's hair and pushes him towards the throne. "Kneel, abomination! Face towards the audience!"

Castiel thuds to the floor painfully, scraping his knees. With shaking hands, he pulls himself up into a kneeling position and turns around. His eyes find Dean, who looks more dead than alive. Castiel can clearly read " _I am so sorry, Cas. I am so sorry_ ," in his beloved's eyes and tries to give a reassuring smile to the demon.  
  
" _I don't blame you for anything, Dean. And if I'm about to die, I want my last words to be only for you. I love you, Dean Winchester_."

The green-eyed demon moans bitterly after hearing Castiel's thoughts and lowers his gaze. A single tear rolls down his cheek and leaves a dark spot on the floor near his feet.

Neither Dean nor Castiel notice that Alastair observes them with a deep frown. The demon lord takes his seat once again and looks at the audience. The demons in the hall are eerily quiet, though they know perfectly well that this will not end so easily; Alastair's plans are always sinister and terrifying.

The demon lord snaps his fingers and the floor starts to part in the middle. The stone tiles slide in opposite directions, letting two wooden pillars, driven into a special platform, appear from under the floor. The demons gasp and move back in fear and uncertainty. One never knows what to expect from Alastair.

"Bring Ipos in!" the master of the fortress orders and in the next few seconds a short, skinny, and frightened demon is brought in front of him. The guards strap him to the pillars, fastening his wrists and ankles with chains.

"Ipos, Ipos, how many times have I told you that improvidence would get you into big trouble?" Alastair croons dangerously, scaring the already frightened demon even more.

"Forgive me, milord… I beg for mercy… I do not know what I have done to earn your wrath… But I promise I will not act so foolishly in the future. Please…" Ipos' crazy, scared eyes feverishly look about the chamber.

"Of course, I am sure you will not," Alastair nods. "Who did you get the Shadow Serpent for, Ipos?"

The swallowing noise that Ipos makes is loud enough for everyone to hear it. He looks around, horrified, trying to find the correct answer, as there is a whole bunch of ugly mess and confusion in his mind. Then he's eyes land on Dean and the words rush out.

"I… I…" he begins. "I got it for Dean Winchester," he whimpers.

"And why did you get it for him? What did he tell you? Why did he need it?" Alastair continues interrogating calmly.

"I don't know, milord. He never mentioned the reason. I did not ask for reasons when he paid for the amulet the first time, nor the two times after. Please, milord…" Ipos sobs.

There's no sense in lying, as in the end Alastair will still find out and it will make things worse, much worse. That's the sole reason Ipos decides to speak the truth. Maybe it could save his life.

"I see. I will spare your life, but you will meet your punishment," Alastair announces, smiling dangerously. The demon lord, with deliberate slowness, gets closer to his victim, like a huge snake hypnotizing its prey.

"Milord…" Ipos barely has time to say in a hoarse whisper, when Alastair grabs his cheeks and covers his mouth with his own, invading it in search of the victim's tongue.

Ipos makes a strangled scream that gets stuck in his throat when Alastair's teeth sink into his pink flesh and rip the tongue out. Incoherent screams and wailing together with blood flow from the victim's mouth 'til his legs give up and the demon falls down on his knees, with arms stretched towards the ceiling with the help of massive chains.

Castiel feels nauseous and he almost throws up at the dismaying sight, but in the last seconds he regains his composure.

"If we catch you one more time, doing forbidden deeds, you shall be killed on the spot. Get him out of here!" Alastair gestures to the guards and they take the half-unconscious demon out of the hall.

"Well, I guess your turn has come, Dean Winchester." Alastair smiles lopsidedly and cracks his knuckles. He moves to the corner where a table stands, with a black fabric covering it. The demon lord yanks the fabric down, revealing every kind of torture device imaginable.

"At first I wanted the executioners to do their job, but then I decided to do it myself. I cannot miss such an opportunity." Laughter rumbles in Alastair's chest, getting louder 'til the walls of the fortress start to shake from its power.

* * *

Alastair is a professional torturer who knows what he is doing. It's been exactly two hours since he's started to torture Dean and there's not even a single drop of blood on his expensive clothes. 

"Tell me, did it feel good when you were sneaking out in the forest to fuck this abomination?" Alastair growls and squeezes an iron device with Dean's fingers trapped inside. The bones slowly crack and break as their owner mewls in pain, too exhausted to scream.

After being whipped with steel lashes, having hot wax poured onto the wounds, cut, stabbed, and beaten into an unconscious condition, Dean's voice has gone hoarse from cries of pain. His whole body is shaking and shivering as he stands in a small pool of his own blood.

With his open uninjured eye, Dean takes a look at Castiel, who is breathing heavily and sobbing. Thanks to his magic skills, Alastair has taken away the human's voice and is keeping him immobilized with an invisible force which chains the young man to his spot firmly.

"Me… me too… Cas…" Dean wheezes out and hangs his head loosely.

Alastair flinches and drops the torture device. He shifts his gaze from Dean's bloody face to Castiel. His confused expression soon is replaced by a shocked one, when finally it all starts to make sense.

"Bond… You are bonded with this human…" he whispers, astonished, and grabs Dean's chin to look into his eyes."Of course you are," he snarls. "Now I cannot kill your mate, because it would kill you too. What should we do, Azazel? What do you think?" He turns to his second in command when the doors of the chamber burst open and Sam Winchester runs inside. Alastair had sent him and ten more demons to the nearest village to get special ingredients for his mixtures and Sam had been unaware about his brother's and Castiel's capture and torture.

One look at Dean is enough for Sam to break down and he falls down on his knees in front of Alastair.

"Milord, I beg you. Please let him go. I will gladly take his place if it pleases you. Just don't hurt him. Torture me instead of him." Sam grabs Alastair's cloak and stares at his warlord miserably. Nonstop tears sting the younger demon's eyes, making his vision blurry.

"Samuel, before I change my mind and kill him, out of my sight!" Alastair orders. Despite Sam's resistance a few demons drag him out of the hall.  
"So, what should we do, Azazel?" Alastair continues after Sam's interruption. "Share your thoughts with me."

Azazel, who's been standing near the demon lord for quite some time, clears his throat and announces, "Milord, if we cannot kill him, we should destroy their bond."

Alastair scratches his beard, glancing at Dean. "You have no idea what is happening, have you?" he smirks. "Let me guess, you did not know all the aspects of how this bond works? I presume you know only the part where you can hear and feel your mate's thoughts and feelings, while he cannot do the same, but is able to only send his thoughts to you. You missed the most important part, my boy. The part that, if your mate dies, your heart stops beating too. If I kill your pretty human, it would cause your death. And I still may need you, as you are one of the best warriors I have in my army. Therefore, all I can do is try to break your bond, which is impossible, as it's not breakable. We have a small problem here, see?" Alastair stops pacing back and forth, satisfied from Dean's astonished expression. 

"You give me such a big headache, Dean Winchester!" he growls. "What should I do with you? Physical pain is nothing to you, as you will heal eventually." Alastair stops and smiles devilishly. "I should hit you in your weak spot – emotions. Look at your human and all the demons in this hall. All of them want him; can't you see it on their faces? Should I throw your mate to them like a bone to a hoard of hungry dogs? Should I make you watch how they rape him over and over again?"

"Alastair…" Dean raises his head, his words are a mere hoarse whisper. "Don't you dare. Do not touch Castiel, or I swear…" A punch in his jaw shuts him up.

"Milord, I think I have found the solution," Azazel's voice sounds so awed that Alastair gives him a suspicious look, doubting if he's out of his mind, but when his second in command whispers something into his ear, Alastair closes his eyes and sighs, contented.

"Excellent idea, Azazel!" Then he turns to Dean and leans towards the younger demon's ear. "I will make a little, obedient bitch out of you, like you once were."

Azazel hands him Malphas' secret diary and the demon lord starts searching for the right spell.

"Let's have some fun." He smirks and goes to stand in the center of the hall.

Alastair takes his own amulet off, the one he always wears around his neck – a golden star with four arrows inside it, pointing to four different directions. The demon cuts his palm with one of the knives he's used on Dean earlier and draws a circle on the floor. When he's done drawing, he holds the diary and reads the spell in archaic language.

As he reads, the ground starts to quake, the floor cracks and wide clefts appear in the stones. The amulet slides aside before the stone tiles collapse with crunching sounds, revealing a black, fathomless abyss. Howling wind erupts from the hole in a whirlwind, covering the rest of the sounds in the hall.

The demons in the hall look very frightened; they fidget and nervous shouts start to sound from the crowd. Has Alastair opened the gates of the underworld? It looks so, judging from the blackness and sounds coming out of the hole.  
Alastair snaps his fingers and Castiel's voice and ability to move again return to the human. But before the young man does anything, the demon lord is dragging him towards the gaping hole, violently grabbing him by his hair.

"No… No…" Castiel whispers frantically as they get near the hole. Alastair may seem tall and lean, but he's much stronger and his hold is like iron vice. Therefore, Castiel's miserable attempts and flailing gain him nothing.

"What are you doing?" Dean's wild gaze falls upon Alastair. Though it's more of a rhetorical question, as the answer is obvious: he is going to throw Castiel into this bottomless pit.

"Say good-bye to your lover, Dean. I may not be able to kill you, but I'll make sure that you will never meet again." Alastair clicks his tongue and drags the resisting human to the edge, who's desperately trying to clutch at the demon's clothes.

Something dies inside Dean when he sees Castiel's face, his wide blue eyes, mouth open in fear, though nothing coming out. The human's heartbeat is hysterical and it's deafening for Dean.

"Please…" Dean whispers. "Please don't do this. Torture me for hours, but please do not do this. It's all my fault. He's innocent." The green-eyed demon sobs out the last words, pride long forgotten. "Milord, please…"

Alastair shakes his head. "I am afraid it's too late." In the blink of an eye, he grabs Castiel's wrists, removing the human's hands from his silk shirt and bending him above the black hole.

"No… no... Don't do this…" Castiel wants to grab something, but the demon lord does not give him such luxury.

"Farewell, pretty boy." Alastair pushes him forward and lets go of his wrists.

Castiel has only a few seconds before the black abyss swallows him and his eyes meet Dean's. But these seconds are enough for both of them to realize how deep their feelings are for each other.

"CAS!" Dean screams at the top of his lungs as his beloved vanishes into the darkness. "CASTIEL!"

The roof of the fortress cracks from his yelling. Dean falls down on his knees and weeps. The weeping turns into howling.

"Throw him into the dungeon for a whole month. No food, only water. And no visitors. If I find out that you disobeyed, your punishment will be much worse." Alastair gives the command to the guards.

They hurriedly unstrap Dean from the pillars, but tie his hands so he cannot attack Alastair. Dean is too exhausted to walk, so the guards are forced to carry him out.

After Alastair gives the sign, all the remaining demons leave the hall, only Azazel stays behind.

"Where did you send him, milord?" the second in command asks him curiously after they are left alone. 

"I sent him to a different country." The demon lord smirks as he sits on his throne.

"Different country? But you could've done that by simply teleporting him." Azazel gapes at his warlord.

"Dean will never find him, I assure you," Alastair throws his head back and laughs. "I have sent Castiel to a different century."


	31. Chapter 31

The guards throw Dean in the dungeon unceremoniously, not caring that his bones are crushed and he's in tremendous pain.

It's such a gloomy place, sodden in despair and pain. Alastair keeps his captives, or the demons who have committed a crime, in here. Mostly it's humans though – demon hunters to be precise. Until they meet their death, the demon lord locks them in this dark, moist place, the walls of which are covered in moss and spider webs.

The guards push Dean into the cell and he falls down on the floor from exhaustion. Some moonlight sneaking into the cell makes it visible enough for Dean to see straw in the corner, which apparently is supposed to be his bed.

The demon crawls towards straw and lies on it, curling into a ball. His limbs are trembling, from pain and spasms, but this is not the thing that worries him. The bond! How could he have missed the death part of the bond? Apparently, if he or Cas dies, it will cause immediate death for the other one. The only thing that gives him a little hope is that he is alive, which means that the human is alive wherever he may be.

With great effort, Dean sits up, looking in the darkness like a trapped animal. "Cas…" he whispers. Of course, Castiel will not be able to hear him, he never could, but Dean has a silly hope that somehow, with the help of unknown force, the spell will break and Castiel will hear his thoughts. "Cas, please… where are you? Tell me the name of the place. Where should I search for you?"

Dean waits for the answer for an hour, sitting still and tense, concentrating hard. Despair wakes within him, filling his heart and mind little by little, planting its poisonous seed deep inside the demon's soul.

The response from the human never comes. A pitiful, blood-curdling howl rises in his chest and tears stream down his cheeks. Due to ill fate, the wolf has lost his mate and even the Gods are unable to tell if they will ever meet again.

The young demon bangs his fists against the cold floor. The waves of excruciating pain wash over him as the broken bones come in contact with the stone, but damn the physical pain, there is a bloody hole in his very being, a tremendous hole that will not heal until he holds Castiel in his arms again.

"Alastair, your victory will be short-lived, I promise you!" Dean snarls, scratching the floor with his bloody fingers in despair, shaking from rage. "You will pay for everything you've done!"

He rolls over onto his other side, the one that hurts less, where Alastair has not applied as much damage. Dean chokes a sob and closes his eyes.

"Cas, please hold on, wherever you are. I will come for you and get you out of there. I promise. I… love you…" he whispers hoarsely into the darkness.

The guards at the entrance of the dungeon jump, startled, when a mighty howl shakes the walls of this realm of pain and tears.

* * *

**Somewhere in the Sahara Desert**

It's hot, unbearably hot. The sun burns his skin and his mouth is dry. The itching and scratching won't stop in his throat and there is nothing that can soothe this unpleasant feeling. He can't open his eyes; he just sees red circles and flashes of light through his closed eyelids. He does not remember how he appeared here, how long it's been, or what he's doing here at all.

The heat gets more intense and the sand burns his skin. He finally manages to open his eyes. So much sand around, never has he seen so much in his life. It's like a velvet sea, though instead of tender, gentle waves there is only burning ground and unbearable heat.

"Dean…" Castiel wheezes. "Where are you?"

His skin is already getting blisters and his head feels like it's on fire. The young man tries to lick his lips, but his tongue is like sandpaper against chapped skin.

"Water…" Castiel moans. "Someone give me water… please."

He scrambles around, getting on his knees, and hangs his head, breathing heavily. Sweat runs down his forehead, falling on the sand in dark spots. Castiel tries to stand up and look around, to find any path or traces that he can follow.

His vision instantly gets blurry; familiar red circles jump in a crazy dance before his eyes. His legs shake and give way after a short struggle. Castiel falls down on the sand and passes out.

* * *

A caravan made of fifty camels, merchants, and slaves slowly makes its way across the sand, having traveled the dunes for many miles. The bells around animals' necks jingle as they move forward, carrying various goods: jewelry, textiles, exotic fur, and other things that are in high demand in the marketplace.

The caravan is headed to Byzantine, which means a very tiring, exhausting road is ahead. But for the moment, the chief merchant Amir Ibn Khaled does not think about their final destination, he thinks how to get to Cairo, where they can take a small ship that will sail them to Saudi Arabia. On the ship they will have enough time to rest and sleep, at least for ten days, before they reach Jeddah.

Amir is still deep in thoughts when shouts get his attention. A frown crosses his dark, sunburned face and he turns his head.

"Abdul, what's the matter?" His pleasant, deep voice lingers in the air.

"Master Amir, there is a young boy in the sand. He is unconscious and naked," Amir's servant Abdul hurries towards him, words rushing out of his mouth.

Amir pulls the reins and his camel stops. "A naked young boy?" he enquires. "Show him to me." He dismounts the camel and gestures to his servant to lead the way.

Ten feet away, near a dune, they find Castiel lying unconscious on his belly. The sun has ruthlessly burnt his back and face. His mouth is slightly open, emitting small, whimpering sounds.

Amir barely suppresses a gasp – he has found a precious stone! The boy's skin, though burned, is still is smooth and light, a clear sign that he is not from any Asian country. His features are delicate and beautiful, dark brown hair, straight nose, full lips. Amir smiles widely when he lifts one of the eyelids and is met by vivid, crystal blue. Oh, yes, this boy will bring him a fortune!

"Give him water, treat his burns, and give him something to wear. Hurry up, we have a long road ahead." Amir goes back to his camel.

Slight slapping drags Castiel out of his black out state. He opens his eyes and sees a small group of people towering above him. They are all in white, long robes – taubs.

A man with a flask in his hand grins at him. "Here, boy. Drink this."

Castiel does not know what language they are speaking, but what's more surprising is that he understands perfectly what they are telling him. He sits up and throws careful glances at these strange people.

"Thank you," he rasps and takes the flask out of the man's hands.

"He speaks our language." Awed gasps spread through the group.

"What is your name, boy?" asks another man.

"My name is Castiel. Where am I?" Castiel wipes off his mouth and looks around.

"You are in Egypt. And we are heading towards Byzantine," the owner of the flask answers him.

"Byzantine? I have never heard of such a name," Castiel frowns.

The men share a curious look, but say nothing.

"Here, put this on." A man with a red beard hands him a similar, white robe to what he himself wears. "And come with us, we must put ointment on your burns."

Castiel is too surprised and confused to object. There is a big mess in his head, everything mixed up and tangled. He stands up and reels, but someone grabs his arm, preventing him from falling.

The blue-eyed man hisses from pain, since his skin is burning, but says nothing.

They take him to the caravan and according to Amir's order, put ointment on his skin, rubbing it gently into his burns, dress him in the taub, and put him in the special seat on the camel's back, which is covered with a thick fabric from every corner to block the killing heat.

Castiel can lean against the thick fabric without a fear that it will tear and make him fall out. The ointment little by little soothes the burning sensation and he feels relief.

Jingling sounds and constant swaying makes him drowsy and his eyelids flutter shut. Before he falls asleep he makes sure to send another portion of thoughts to Dean.

_"Dean, I am in Egypt. Some people found and helped me. They ride these strange animals called camels and they are heading towards Byzantine. I have never heard of these names before. Everything is so strange. I am confused. I miss you so much, Dean. I love you."_

The caravan reaches Cairo and then they get on board the ship that takes them to Jeddah. From a tall, thin man Castiel finds out that they are going to Constantinople, where they will be sold as slaves. The young man gets so shocked that he does not try to talk to Dean in his thoughts that night.

* * *

"I have tidings, I have tidings!" A tall, blond man, wearing a scarlet silk robe runs into a chamber, waving a parchment in his hand.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, what is it now?" Another, much shorter man – who is lying on a couch and eating a sliced fruit – groans and stares at the intruder, displeased.

"Stop sulking, Gabriel," the man says. "Amir will be here in three months and he is bringing something special for us!"

"Special? I don't know, Balthazar. I don't think he will have anything special that will be interesting for us. We have everything." Gabriel huffs and pets a dog, a beautiful black greyhound with a white mark on his chest.

"Pfft, you're never satisfied. It's hard to surprise or please you," Balthazar exclaims somewhat indignantly.

"Sorry, brother, I can't change my nature." Gabriel laughs softly.

Balthazar just shakes his head and leaves the chamber without further comments.

"Sorry Amir, you will not be able to surprise me with anything, unless you are bringing something from another world," Gabriel laughs and jumps from the couch. "Time to go for a swim." He whistles merrily and calls his servant to bring some towels, fruits, and wine to the pool.


	32. Chapter 32

Located between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea there is a small neck of land. This peninsula is a popular travel route for merchants and traders. It can be accessed from two different seas as well as by land, and it has a perfect location for a city. Plus, this location is easy to protect from attack. The water that surrounds it makes it difficult for opposing armies to attack. The one side that is open to land can be protected by building a large, thick wall.

According to accepted history, recognizing the strategic value of this location, the Roman emperor Constantine built a city here in 330 A.D. and named the city Constantinople, after himself.

Constantinople grew quickly, becoming the wealthiest city in the Roman Empire, even wealthier than the city of Rome itself. In 395 A.D., when the Roman Empire was split, Constantinople was the most logical location for the capital of the newly created Byzantine Empire. The city of Constantinople lay at the heart of a powerful empire known as Byzantium. In 395 A.D., Rome split into two separate empires in order to make it easier to rule its massive territory.

The western empire kept the name of Rome, while the eastern empire took the name of Byzantium. By 500 A.D., Rome had fallen into decline and was soon conquered. The Byzantine Empire, on the other hand, would endure for another 1,000 years.

While Byzantium was created by splitting the Roman Empire, it quickly evolved away from Roman traditions, forming a new culture that was uniquely its own.

The citizens of Constantinople did not consider themselves Romans, even though many of them descended from Roman families.

In time, the official language of the Byzantines became Greek, rather than Latin, which was used by the Romans. The Byzantines were Christians, but they did not follow the Catholic faith of the Romans. Instead they developed their own version of Christianity which eventually became known as Eastern or Greek Orthodox.

At the height of the Byzantine Empire, a talented and hardworking emperor by the name of Justinian came to the throne at the age of forty-four, and he soon became one of the greatest emperors to rule over the empire.

Justinian was a wise ruler who wanted his people to be successful and comfortable. He tried his best with a number of reforms to help make the lives of his people better.

Under the leadership of the emperor Justinian, the arts flourished in the Byzantine Empire. He encouraged music, art, and drama. Justinian also was a masterful builder. He commissioned new roads, bridges, aqueducts, baths, and a variety of other public works.

Life was beautiful, the city was flourishing, and everyone was extremely satisfied with their lives.

* * *

**532 A.D Constantinople, Byzantine**

**  
**The bazaar of Constantinople is the largest of all marketplaces and the most famous among merchants and traders. They come to the city from various countries to sell and trade with the others. They sell different goods, rows of silk or other textiles brought from India and China, expensive handicraft, ceramic or clay amphoras, jars, bowls, plates or other things, rare jewelry brought from Asian countries, expensive Persian carpets.

In the further corner one can see pureblood Arabian stallions, which cost a fortune and only rich citizens can afford to buy. If one keeps going and turns left, cages full of wild pumas, tigers, lions, and monkeys will be presented to their view.

The market is a noisy, crowded place, a giant hive of excitement. The gates close at sunset and no one is able to leave the city walls. Either they stay inside the walls and find a place to sleep or they leave the city before the sundown.

* * *

Eight slaves walk through a rumbling crowd of merchants in a dusty street paved with cobblestones. They carry two palanquins, covered with dark textile, so their masters don't get disturbed by the burning afternoon sun.

A hand moves the curtain aside and a blond head pops out of one of the palanquins. "I should kill you for this whole thing," a voice grumbles, looking at the other palanquin.

Instantly a smiling man from the other palanquin peeks out and chuckles: "Oh, relax, Gabriel, we're almost there. We will just see what Amir brought this time and if there's nothing interesting, we'll go right back. And it's not like you're walking. So relax and stop complaining."

"Have I told you that I hate you, Balthazar?" Gabriel shakes his head.

"Yes, I love you too, Brother." Balthazar's pleasant laughter fills the air. Both brothers look at the never-ending rows of small shops, secretly hoping that Amir has brought something rare and that their trip to the market in such hellish heat is not in vain.

Meanwhile, the slaves with palanquins stop in front of a red marquee. A little boy eating a banana jumps to his feet and runs inside the tent screaming, "Master Amir!"

By the time Balthazar and Gabriel come out of their palanquins, Amir and his assistants are standing there with a broad smile.

"Well, good day to you, my dear friends," he exclaims with sincere joy and opens his arms.

"Good day to you too, Amir." Gabriel hugs the man and pats his back amicably.

"Long time no see, eh?" Balthazar laughs softly after their greeting.

"Yes, my friend. We had some trouble with goods and the weather was not preferable, so we had to delay our visit. But now, thanks to Allah, things are going perfectly," Amir explains. "Let's get inside and we can talk in a more comfortable atmosphere," he invites his guests, gesturing towards the tent.

Gabriel raises his finger. "Only if you have brought that fine red wine from Hispania."

"You know that I always bring that wine for you whenever I am to visit your city." Amir cocks his eyebrow.

"That's why we love you." Balthazar playfully smacks the Arab's back and they enter the tent laughing.

Inside, the tent looks comfortable and cozy. There are a lot of soft pillows of different sizes on the floor, which is covered by rugs. There is a small table with a vase full of fruits, a plate with rahat lakoum, candied walnuts, and other sweets, standing in a corner. 

Amir tells the boy to bring a jar of wine and two goblets. The little boy bows his head and runs away to fulfill the master's order. In no more than two minutes, wine and goblets are added to the table. Amir fills his guests' goblets, listening to the newest city rumors that Balthazar is telling.

"So yes, Adrian went bankrupt. Lost everything because he was a fool. Damn, I love this wine," Balthazar grunts, sipping his drink.

"If one does not want to stop, God will make a decision for him," Amir concludes. "He had been warned, but he did not listen."

"Yes, that is true, my friend. Gambling has not brought anything good for anyone I know," Gabriel replies. "But let's stop talking about unimportant matters. What have you brought this time?"

Amir is smoking a hookah, blowing the smoke rings out of his nostrils. The pleasant scent of tobacco mixed with some strange herbs hangs heavy in the tent.

"I have brought many things, but as I have known you for years, I am very well aware of your taste. Therefore I will leave out jewelry, weapons, and horses and show you the most expensive, rare jewel that has ever belonged to me."

"Hmm, sounds interesting." Gabriel exhales the smoke and nods. "I like the way you think. Show it to us."

Amir claps his hands and a tall man comes into the tent. The host gives him a short order in Arabic and the servant nods, leaving immediately. Amir entertains his guests by telling some funny stories until the servant returns. He's accompanied by two armed guards and someone whose face is hidden behind a golden mask. The figure is dressed in a white, baggy robe – a taub. Everything is well hidden, every inch of the skin, so the audience, except Amir, cannot say who they are looking at – a male or a female.

"Who is this?" Gabriel asks, squinting his eyes.

"Desert Sapphire," Amir answers, smiling proudly. "A gift from Allah, to make me richer."

The merchant turns to the figure in the white robe. "Take the mask off."

The figure obeys and the golden mask drops on to the carpet, revealing the handsome face of a young man, whose blue eyes scan the tent worriedly.

"Hmmm…" Balthazar hums incoherently.

"I found him in the Sahara desert, naked and burned by the ruthless sun. He will make a pretty servant or… or…" Amir trails off but continues. "Or you can use him for different activities." The Arab blushes furiously. Homosexuality is a deadly sin in his country, but he knows that in Byzantine it's a common thing. Many rich citizens have wives but also young, male lovers.

"Umm… We aren't into…." Gabriel is cut off by Amir's words.

"Take your clothes off!" the Arab orders Castiel.

Castiel's eyes fill with anger and his lips curl into a snarl. "No," he says in a low growl.

Before Amir gets angry, the guards unsheathe their short swords. One of them points the tip at Castiel's throat. After the merchant's nod, the second guard slides his sword down the robe, cutting the material easily. Amir stands up and goes to Castiel. He grabs the edges of the taub and rips it off of the boy's body, throwing it aside. Then he goes back to his pillow.

"He has a beautiful body," Amir says.

"Yes, I can see that," Balthazar agrees, shifting awkwardly.

"Turn around," Amir orders again.

Castiel swallows hard but obeys. He turns around, with his back towards the audience. His hands are clenched in fists and his knuckles have gone white.

"As I said, you can use him for various purposes." Amir declares. "He also speaks my language, though he is not from our lands."

"I speak many languages," Castiel suddenly says. "Including those of animals."

Surprised gasps fill the tent and three men look at each other. This boy is indeed very strange.

"What is your name?" Gabriel asks.

"Castiel," the young man replies briefly.

"So, you say that you speak many languages? We can test that. And if you are lying, you will be severely punished. Do you know that?" Balthazar interjects.

"I am not lying." Castiel raises his head proudly and glares at the man. His blue eyes are blazing with anger. "Test me."

Balthazar and Gabriel ask him many questions in different languages: Latin, Persian, Hebrew, some old dialects used in the Middle East. Castiel answers each of their questions precisely and without any mistakes. He speaks fluently.

The three men sit in silent shock, not knowing what to say. Amir's merchant mind quickly makes calculations, weighing all the pros and cons.

"How much do you want for him?" Balthazar finally asks, breaking the silence.

Amir sighs loud and heavy. He scratches his beard, clicking his tongue. "I am terribly sorry, my friends, but I have to increase the price. I, like you, did not know about his hidden language skills, therefore instead of initial five talents*, I must ask for twenty."

"That is very expensive, but we agree," Gabriel says. "Besides, I already know how to use him." He smiles cheekily.

"We will take him with us as soon as we leave. You will get your money before sunset. Is this convenient for you?" Balthazar asks.

Amir raises his hands. "Certainly. I have no objections."

The brothers stand up. "Fine. Give him something new to wear. We're leaving." With these words, they leave the tent.

"I am not a slave. I am a warrior," Castiel snarls, but no one is listening to him. The servant gives him sandals and a short chiton – to give him a more Greek look.

"Hurry up, your new masters are waiting for you," Amir tells him and after Castiel is done dressing, he takes him to the older brother – Balthazar's palanquin. He wants to tie the young man's hands to the palanquin's handle, but Balthazar stops him.

"No, Amir. That is not necessary. There is a plenty room in my palanquin. Let him sit in it."

"As you wish, my friend." Amir bows respectfully and signs for Castiel to get in.

As soon as the young man gets inside the palanquin, the servants lift it up and they move. Balthazar looks at his new companion curiously. He can see how tense and nervous the boy looks and tries to give him a reassuring smile.

"Do not be afraid. We will not treat you badly. Unless you violate our house rules." He chuckles low.

"What rules?" Castiel asks, frowning deeply.

"We will explain when we get there. Meanwhile, welcome to Constantinople, boy." Balthazar leans against the pillow, squinting his eyes like a satisfied cat.

Castiel rests his hands in his lap with a lowered gaze. He has no idea where he is, who these people are and more importantly, if he will ever see Dean again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 talent – according to today's exchange rate, it would make 1,635,600 USD. Therefore, Gabe and Balthy paid 32,712,000 for Cas.


	33. Chapter 33

The sharp smells of fish, vinegar, and spices gets left behind as the palanquin moves through the narrow, noisy streets of the city. Castiel cannot help his curiosity, moving the curtain aside and peeking out to see what is happening around them. He sees a lot of people, carrying jars, baskets, and small wine barrels; little children laughing and playing with a dog, which barks and waggles its tail. They all have one thing in common: appearance. It's not hard to tell that they are passing through the suburb of poor people. They are slim, with tired expressions and lackluster eyes. Only the children seem to be happy and nonchalant. Their only concern is how to have fun, what new games to play, while their parents have to think how to earn money for food.

Castiel sees a middle-aged woman carrying freshly baked bread in a woven basket. Her gaze is lowered, looking at the pavement, while walking slowly to the small place allocated for her, where she can sell rolls and buns. As the palanquin passes her, she lifts her gaze and the young man is met with blue-grayish eyes, which reminds him of his… mother.

Aggi and Brita. It's been more than two weeks since Castiel disappeared and probably they have lost their minds from grief. The brunet's eyes start to sting and he closes them, not wanting Balthazar to notice the already forming tears. His fingers start to tremble and he has to grab his knee to prevent them from shaking, but it's too late, as Balthazar has already noticed it.

"Are you alright? You look like you just saw a ghost or something," Balthazar remarks.

"I… I'm fine," Castiel lies and tries to smile, but it comes out as a pained expression.

"Sure, you're fine. Do you think I'm stupid or naïve enough to believe there's nothing that's bothering you?" Balthazar pauses for a second. "I will tell you about the first rule of the Angelopoulos house: no lies. So, what's the matter?"

Castiel takes a good look at his owner, studying his expression carefully. He does not know what to expect from these people who bought him like he was a pet, but a slight amount of concern and sincerity in Balthazar's eyes is enough for him to open up.

"My parents. They do not know where I am. How can they know about my whereabouts, when I hardly know them myself?"

The bitterness in Castiel's voice makes Balthazar flinch. He clears his throat and says: "I want to hear your whole story when we get to our villa. I am sure Gabriel cannot wait to hear it as well."

* * *

The Angelopoulos villa is built on high hills, with a spectacular view of the city. The house made of white marble and high columns is almost invisible in a huge garden of beautiful and exotic flowers that smell heavenly. There are roses, peonies, tulips, orchids, gardenias, amaryllis, and other flowers, that are all well taken care of. Behind the villa one can see a big garden with olive, apple, pear, peach and many other fruit trees. Gardeners must be very skillful and experienced to keep both gardens equally mesmerizing and in perfect shape.

Balthazar and Gabriel take Castiel through the vestibulum (entrance hall), leading to the atrium – the central hall. All the servants who they meet on their way bow their heads in respect, replying quietly and politely to their masters' cheerful questions or remarks. Castiel is just too shocked and impressed by the magnificence of the palace to notice much. Yes, it's a palace, not a villa. The brothers indeed are very rich to live in such luxury. The young man drinks in the sight before him: a beautiful mosaic floor, the walls decorated with paintings, statues carved with amazing precision, an incredibly high ceiling with a square roof opening in the middle to let fresh air or rain in, which would drain into a small pool called Impluvium.

"Do you like it, Castiel?" Gabriel asks cheerfully, turning to the astonished young man, who's still gaping at the surroundings.

"I've never seen such things in my life," the blue-eyed man admits.

"Stay here. I need to talk to my brother alone," Balthazar cuts in and grabs Gabriel by his arm, moving aside.

They talk very quietly and Castiel cannot hear what they're talking about. Gabriel just keeps nodding or throws in a short "yes" as an agreement. The brothers return to the blue-eyed man's side with satisfied expressions.

"We made a decision regarding you. But let's eat first, I am starving," Gabriel complains.

"Right. We can talk while we eat. Come with us, Castiel."

* * *

"So, I think time has come to get to know each other better." Balthazar washes his hands in a bowl full of aromatic warm water. "I am Balthazar and this is my younger brother Gabriel. We are some of the richest citizens of Constantinople. We produce olive oil and sell it overseas. The trade and profit is good, thanks to Jesus." Balthazar sighs, content, and plops down on a small sofa with silk pillows on it.

"Who is Jesus? Is he one of the merchants you know?" Castiel has no idea how silly he sounds.

The brothers share a brief look and then burst into laughter. The young man instantly gets tense, not understanding what's going on. Why are these people laughing? Is he not allowed to ask questions? Suddenly isolation and desperation pour down on him in a crashing wave and Castiel feels so alone. He does not want to be here, he wants to go back to his family, to Dean. His Dean…

"Haven't you heard of Jesus Christ?" Gabriel stops laughing, noticing the young man’s pale face. Damn, the boy looks like he's going to pass out any minute.

"No, never." Castiel's voice is hoarse.

"Where are you from, Castiel?" Balthazar sits up, sensing the sudden change of cheerful atmosphere.

"I am from Raven's Tear," the brunet answers quietly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Hmm, Raven's Tear? I've never heard of such place," Gabriel hums. "In which country is it?"

"We call the land Mother North. There are thirty-six villages in it. My village is called Raven's Tear. Is there something wrong?" Castiel shifts his gaze from one brother to the other.

"Mother North? I've never heard of such land before. Can you tell us who your neighbors are? Like the Danes, the Saxons, the Jutes?"

Castiel just shakes his head at hearing foreign names, which sound strange to him. The brothers fall silent but they both think about this strange boy's words. Who is he? Where did he come from? What was he doing in the Sahara Desert where Amir found him?

"Castiel," Balthazar begins, carefully choosing the words. "Have you been outside of your lands?"

"I spent many years at Blazing Blades, learning martial arts, but it is not outside the borders of Mother North." The brunet licks his dry lips; he's getting nervous from this interrogation.

"If you've never left your lands, how do you know so many languages? Do you know how to read? Did you learn it by yourself?" Gabriel cuts in.

"I know how to write and read in my language. But I can't write or read in other languages."

"Then how did you learn them?" Gabriel exclaims, frustrated with all this uncertainty.

"I… I was taught by... by… Dean." Castiel's voice breaks in the end and he has to bite his lip not to tear up.

"Who is Dean?" comes the inevitable question.

Castiel is quiet for a minute, struggling with stormy emotions inside his soul that threaten to erupt and break him down.

"He's… he's my lover. A demon."

The answer causes quiet but shocked gasps. "A demon? You mean a creature with horns and a tail?" Balthazar makes a cross sign with wide eyes.

"Horns and a tail? Why would Dean have horns and a tail? He is not an animal, he's just like me. The only difference is that his eyes blaze after sunset. Our bond was not permitted and his master found out. He threw me into a dark pit and when I woke up I was in the desert. I do not know if Dean is alive, but I need to go back to him. Please let me go, he needs me. I need him!" Castiel does not realize that he's shouting, which slowly turns into silent sobbing. He drops down on his knees and covers his face. "Please let me go to him… please…"

After the deafening silence caused by Castiel's outburst, the brothers stand up and approach the brunet. Balthazar shakes his head, giving a gesture to his younger brother that the young man probably has lost his mind after being under the horrible heat in the desert for too long.

"Hey, it's alright. Calm down. We aren't going to hurt you. You're safe here." Gabriel gingerly hugs the shaking boy, trying to comfort him. "You will like being at our house. And you will not be our slave or a servant. We need an assistant who will help us translate the texts from one language into other, and we are sure you will do this job perfectly." Gabriel looks at his brother for agreement and when Balthazar nods, adds, "Come with us, we will show you your bedroom, and then the library, where we will work."

Castiel takes a deep breath and wipes his face. He must be very lucky that he was bought by these brothers and by no one else. Maybe if he behaves well and earns their trust, they will help him find Dean?

"I am sorry," the young man mumbles, embarrassed.

"Do not worry about it. Come with us," Balthazar adds and leads them in the right direction.

"Castiel, do you mind if I ask you one more question?" Gabriel asks suddenly as they go through the atrium.

"Please ask."

Gabriel clears his throat, getting ready to ask the most ridiculous thing that he has ever asked in his entire life. "Um… well, can you tell me what… what year is it Raven's Tear?"

The man grins widely when the blue-eyed man stares at him like he's mentally ill. "776 winters have passed since the Great Carnage. I am twenty four winters old." Castiel replies, somewhat puzzled.

Gabriel feels a headache coming and he massages his temples. This simply is not possible, it sounds too crazy. The boy must've had his brains fried in the desert, otherwise he would not be talking about strange things like demons and…

"Why are you asking about years?" Castiel's voice interrupts Gabriel's thoughts.

The younger Angelopoulos rubs his neck awkwardly. He really does not want to startle the boy even more, but Castiel wants to know what's happening and Gabriel speaks.

"I do not want to frighten you but it's 532 A.D. in this realm and that means that you, or even your parents, are not born yet."

Castiel does not say a word, but they are not really necessary, as Gabriel clearly sees the wild fear which sets in the dark-haired boy's eyes.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome BAMF Dean Winchester....

Sam waits until the fortress has sunken into silence – in other words when everyone is asleep – and goes down to the dungeon to see his brother. He knows that Alastair said no one could see Dean, but Sam secretly hopes the guards will let him in.

"Samuel, I am sorry, but we can't let you see him. Alastair will kill us," the guard tells him.

"Please Kailos, I need to see him and make sure he's doing alright." Sam is desperate to get into his brother’s cell, no matter what. Of course Dean is a demon, he's very strong and sturdy, but everyone has their limits and the younger Winchester is not sure if his brother is doing well after Alastair's horrible deed, which includes Dean's punishment and Castiel's disappearing.

"I'm sorry." Kailos shakes his head. He likes Sam and would help him, had he not been afraid of their warlord's wrath.

Sam hangs his head, frustration rising within him. His brother is in pain, both physical and emotional, and he cannot do anything about it. Alastair forbade anyone to give Dean food; he can have only water. Who knows what can happen during these thirty days? Sam shudders and groans, feeling lost.

Kailos takes pity on him. Sam is a good man, he's not like other dickhead demons, always seeking for troubles. "Look, I can give him a letter if you want."

"I don't have it written," mumbles the younger Winchester.

"Go and write then," Kailos smacks him on the back. "I'm here 'til the morning."

"Thank you… I… I owe you so much!" Sam chokes on his words and leaves quickly to write a letter for his older brother.

* * *

Dean is lying on straw in a corner, with his eyes closed and body shuddering from cold, when keys rattle and the door of his cell opens. His broken bones, wounds, and scars have started the healing process and the bleeding has stopped.

The young demon sits up, stifling a groan of pain, staring at the intruder. It's Kailos – one of the guards.

"What do you want? Want to take pleasure in how 'pretty' I look?" The amount of sarcasm in Dean's voice is killing.

Kailos snorts and shakes his head. "You are an idiot, Dean Winchester. Unlike your brother."

Dean tenses up instantly from hearing about Sam. "What about him?"

"Calm down. Nothing has happened to Sam. I brought you a letter he wrote you. Here." Kailos hands him a folded skin, which Dean grabs instantly.

"Burn it after you read it." The guard looks at a thick candle flickering on the small window sill.

"Yeah, I would never have guessed that myself," snarks Dean. Apparently imprisonment has awoken the darkest and most dangerous sides in him.  
"Dean Winchester," Kailos raises his brow, "I suggest you tone it down, for your own good. I guard your damn cell once in every three days and if you do not want to die of hunger, shut up and show me some respect." The guard throws a loaf of bread at Dean and turns around to leave the cell. "You are lucky to have such a brother," he says instead of goodbye and locks the door behind him.

Dean does not bother with a reply to the guard and unfolds the skin, holding it near the candle. The text is short and judging by uneven letters, Sam was in hurry. A bitter smile forms on the demon's lips, thinking of his brother. Sam must be worried sick about him. With a sigh, Dean reads the letter:

_"Dean, I am not allowed to see you. Therefore, I will try to send in some food for you in secret once every three days, when it's Kailos' turn to guard your cell. Don't be a dick to him. He's our only supporter. Also, when you are out, for the love of the underworld, act obedient. Show Alastair that you understood your mistake and learned your lesson well. I know it will be hard, but please, try. No matter what he does to you, do not argue, fight, or anger him. Show him that you regret your decision about bonding with Castiel. Yes, it will be just a game, I am not asking you to forget about your human. You must make sure that Alastair and Azazel believe you. As for me, I will help you in every way I can. See you after thirty days, Brother. Sam."_

Dean burns the letter and scatters its ashes from his small window carved in the stone wall. Too bad it has gratings made from special steel, which he cannot bend to escape from this horrible place to find and save the love of his life. 

The green-eyed demon sits down on his bed, resting his elbows on his knees. Why hadn't he been more careful? If not for himself, at least for Castiel's sake. Probably because he was too confident and arrogant that nothing would happen to them. And he shouldn't have been, not when your warlord is the most obnoxious, sliest, and cleverest demon around. The bird has flown up too high and burnt its wings. The falling is painful, but losing the loved one is much worse.

The young demon stares at the dancing shadows on the opposite wall in silence, thinking of what to do. Thirty days. He will be out of here in thirty days. He's losing so much time. Who knows where Castiel is at the moment. Maybe he's dying in these exact minutes? Dean shivers at the thought and shakes his head to get rid of the image of Castiel lying somewhere in dust, dead and bloody. But then he remembers that if the human dies, Dean will follow his path, so it gives him a small amount of hope. If he's alive, it means Castiel is still breathing somewhere.

"Cas, I beg you to hold on for me, wherever you are. No matter what it takes, I will find you, even if I have to walk through the darkest pits of the underworld," Dean whispers and lies down. His head is bursting and he feels like crawling up the walls from despair.

* * *

Sam Winchester does not instantly recognize the man who stands in the hall full of demons. Alastair has summoned every living soul under the fortress' roof in the main chamber to take a look at the reason of their meeting.

The man in dirty, torn trousers is standing barefoot in the middle of the hall. His feet are in heavy, iron manacles, though his hands are free. It's obvious that the man has lost a lot of weight, but he's still handsome looking, with broad shoulders and a muscled chest and abdomen. His dirty blond hair is resting on his shoulders, green eyes scanning the chamber cautiously. His sunken cheeks and chin are covered by a one month beard.

As the realization sinks in, Sam makes a choked gasp. It's Dean. He feels his eyes are burning and bites his lip to stay calm. It's not time to get emotional, it can wait. He finds his older brother's eyes and gives him a small nod of encouragement, unnoticeable for strangers' eyes.

"I gathered you here to take a good look at this creature and remember what happens to those who disobey my orders," Alastair's nasal voice fills the chamber. "I suppose disobedience from you will not be happening again?" the demon lord addresses the culprit.

"No, milord." Dean tries to convince not only them, but himself that he's saying truth. "I have no wish to disobey anymore."

"I made a promise that I would make a little obedient bitch out of you, like once you were. You all know that I keep my word. Come here." Alastair smirks, waiting for Dean to approach his throne. "Kneel and kiss my feet, bitch!"

Dean's knuckles turn white and he wheezes breath out, ready to jump at Alastair with his bare hands, but in the last second he remembers Sam's request in the letter and with shaking legs approaches the demon lord's throne. He kneels hesitantly and kisses Alastair's boots as a sign of his submission.

"Good. I bet you would gladly lick something else too if I ordered, wouldn't you?" Alastair spits out. Dean's face goes deathly pale after those words, color draining from his face. "You should be thankful to the underworld that I am not interested in carnal pleasures. At least at the moment," Alastair says mockingly after seeing Dean's horrified expression.

There is a dead silence in the hall, all demons looking at their master and kneeling Dean Winchester, waiting for the development of current events. The demon lord does not make them wait any longer, grabbing Dean's hair and snarling, "If you think that I will trust you so blindly, you are mistaken. You will bear these handcuffs 'till you prove that you are trustworthy. They will bind your magic. You will not be able to use it against me or Azazel to kill us. Though I doubt your power would be sufficient to do that anyway." Alastair lets go of his grip on Dean's hair and snaps his fingers. Two leather cuffs appear on the younger demon's wrists with carved symbols on them. Dean squirms, already feeling their effect on his skills.

"You can go now. But you will go through the corridor of shame first. Begin." Alastair gives a signal and the demons in the hall part, making a passageway for Dean to go through. "Oh, Azazel would love to see this," Alastair chuckles, recalling that he has sent his second-in-command to deal with some urgent matters.

As Dean walks between them, the warriors throw at him small balloons filled with green liquid – Alastair's newest invention, which burns like fire, melting the demon's torn trousers and leaving blisters on his unprotected skin, though the older Winchester does not make a single sound. He grits his teeth and walks silently through the corridor of shame.

There are only two demons in the hall that do not throw those hideous things at Dean: Sam and Kailos. And they are so very lucky that Alastair does not notice this small act of disobedience.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some action....

As soon as Dean walks out of the hall and the demon lord orders the rest of the crowd to disperse, Sam turns to Kailos. "Why didn't you obey Alastair's command?"

Kailos looks around to be sure that no one's listening. "Your brother's a dickhead who really needs to be taught some manners, but that doesn't mean that I justify everything that Alastair commands. Besides, you've saved my life a couple of times and I owed you. Not that I've done much, but still."

Sam shakes his head in denial. "What you did was very dangerous and I appreciate that. You risked your life, not wanting to cause more pain to my brother, when you could've been caught by Alastair or his spies."

Kailos laughs. "I could say the same thing about you. You did not obey his command either."

"He's my brother. I would gladly die for him if it were necessary," Sam says with a shrug.

Kailos nods. "I know." There's a thoughtful pause. "Let's get out of here."

They walk out of the hall together, trying to avoid curious eyes, and deliberately lag behind other demons. The corridor shakes under hundreds of boots thudding against its tiles. Frightened mice flee with shrill squeaks to the furthest corners, hiding in holes. Sam and Kailos hide behind one of the columns when they hear Alastair's voice approaching them, shouting at a servant.

The demon lord passes by them with quick steps. His scarlet cloak flaps behind his back like a banner of the army of doom. The younger demons come out of their hiding place when Alastair's footsteps no longer can be heard.

"Sam, I know you care a lot about your brother, and I would like to give you some friendly advice." Kailos leans against the column.

"Sure, go ahead. I'm open to suggestions." Sam coughs, clearing his throat.

"I looked into Dean's eyes. He may play obedient soldier, but that's only on the surface. His real intentions are buried deep within him. I can tell you that he's planning revenge."

Sam's face turns pale after the fellow demon’s words. How is it possible that Alastair did not see it, but Kailos noticed? His forehead starts to bead with cold sweat and his hands go numb, when his companion's low laughter breaks the tense silence.

"Sam, I will not say a word, if you are afraid of that. Though my advice to your brother would be to forget about his revenge and start a new life. It will be hard, but if he tries he will earn Alastair's trust once again."

The younger Winchester wants to laugh bitterly at Kailos' words. Dean will never agree to this, not when Castiel means so much to him. The human is more precious than his own life.

"Thank you, Kailos. I appreciate your advice. If you need my assistance in the future, I will gladly help." Sam sighs in relief that this awkward conversation is over.

"No worries. And now we should really go or we look like secret lovers hiding in a dark corner." Kailos grins.

Sam can't help but laugh and nods his agreement. "I guess you're right."

* * *

Dean is sitting on his bed, head bowed and hands resting in his lap. The blisters on his back are still not healed because Alastair has bound his magic with those handcuffs.

"I know you're here, Sam," the demon says without moving.

Despite his best efforts not to make any sounds, the presence of the younger Winchester is still noticed. Sam moves toward the bed, having no clue what to tell his brother. Dean looks devastated, humiliated, and broken.

"I cannot take these off," the older demon says bitterly, great pain in his voice. "I'm useless, Sam. What am I without my powers?"

"You are my brother, that's who you are, Dean. Your powers don't make you who you are. It's your nature. Your deeds, words, and behavior are what matter, not your skills. Look at the humans. Most of them do not wield magic, yet they have many virtues that one can envy. Courage, generosity, faithfulness. They are not as weak as we consider them to be. They…" 

Sam's speech is interrupted by Dean's heavy sigh. 

"I know. Cas was a perfect example." One can literally hear how the older demon swallows past a lump in his throat.

" _Is_ , Dean, not _was_. Castiel _is_ a perfect example. You shouldn't surrender. We'll find a way to save him. We just need to sit down and think of a good strategy, an exact plan that can't fail." Sam squats in front of the bed, looking at his older brother. He is not sure what can be done in their current situation, but there has to be a way to save the human. He desperately wishes he knew the answer, or at least could find someone who might help them, but the younger demon's mind comes up blank.

"Dean, Kailos knows that you want revenge. He told me after we left the hall. He is reliable and will not utter a word about it, but please, don't do anything reckless. You need to earn Alastair's trust 'til we figure out how to save Castiel." Sam stands up, ready to leave Dean's chamber.

"Oh, and one more thing. Shave. You look like a caveman." Sam snorts and jumps aside when he sees a pillow flying towards him. He disappears behind a door, satisfied with himself. The remark about his scruff had pulled a faint smile onto Dean's lips, and that was a good sign.

* * *

The following ten days are like Dean's worst nightmares come to life. Alastair and Azazel take great pleasure in mocking and humiliating him, making him do things he has never done before. He is treated worse than a stray dog seeking a chunk of bread.

Dean must muck out the enormous stable almost every day, and clean and polish everyone's armor, weapons, and boots under numerous insults such as "wench", "whore", or "bitch." Dean grits his teeth and plays the role of an obedient servant, though it's getting more unbearable with each passing day. There's so much work for him to do that Dean has no time for food or water. Only late at night when he gets back to his room, covered in dirt, mud, and sweat and drops down on his bed exhausted, does Sam go to him with a little food that he's able to steal from the kitchen or a table. He tries to avoid looking at Dean when the older demon attacks food hungrily. Sam bites his lip, drawing blood, and exchanges a few words with him before leaving.

As soon as he's out of Dean's room, he leans against the door and lets the suppressed tears roll down his cheeks.

* * *

It's a rainy day with raging skies above. It seems like the Gods are sending their wrath upon the earth in the form of the downpour. The courtyard of the fortress is empty, as its every resident has found shelter under the roof of the castle. Well, almost every resident.

Dean Winchester is standing in the courtyard with a spade in his hand, digging a long ditch. He shivers in the cold rain and huffs steam from between his lips, barely feeling his calloused hands, roughened from hard work. Without his magic skills, Dean feels as fragile as a human.

"Winchester," calls a familiar voice and Dean clenches his fist around the spade he's holding.

"Yes, milord?" he says politely and turns around.

"Go to the stable and bring me my horse. I don't want my boots to get covered in horse shit. You're already dirty like a pig, so it won't make a big difference if you step in it – or even fall in it." Azazel stands under an awning and smirks at Dean. "What are you waiting for? I said go and get my horse, you filthy bitch!"

Dean drops the spade and bows. "Yes, milord."

On the way to the stable, he thinks everything out and weighs his options. There had been no one except him and Azazel in the courtyard, therefore there will be no witnesses.

Dean enters the stable, pats the nearest horse and leans against the wooden pillar. His heart beats frantically, his fingers tremble from adrenaline, and the young demon licks his lips. Patience, that's what he needs.

He hears quick, approaching footsteps, meaning that a very angry Azazel is coming with the firm intention to beat the daylights out of him. Dean glues himself to the wall, standing still.

"Winchester!" Azazel yells. "Pray to the Blackened Heart that I won't smash your head against these damn walls! Where the fuck are you?"

He wants to add something more, but someone's strong hand clamps over his mouth and a deep voice hisses into Azazel's ear: "I'm right here. Who's the bitch now?"

Azazel struggles, but before he breaks free, something sharp and cold pierces through his left shoulder blade, sinking right into his heart. The second-in-command's eyes go wide as a realization hits him, but it's too late. His life energy is draining out and the demon starts to slide down on the floor. Dean's hand is still covering his mouth, just in case.

When Azazel's yellow eyes fade out, the younger demon turns him over, driving the dagger out of second in command's body, wiping the blood off of the steel. He drags the dead body towards the empty stall and drops him in the corner. The older Winchester hides the body very carefully under straw. No one should ask for the yellow-eyed demon at least for a few days, as he was expected to go to the Red Caves.

"Thank you for this, Cas." Dean caresses the hilt of the dagger and hangs it around his neck.

His green eyes blaze with the fire of revenge as an evil grin dances on his full lips. "One down, one to go," Dean rasps and laughs. His hoarse laughter shakes the walls of the stable, accompanied by the neighing of frightened horses.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some more BAMF Dean Winchester...

Before going to bed, Alastair likes to take long, pleasant baths in his round tub made of pure gold. He is a demon with strange requirements. Like, the water for his baths must be brought from the Mountains of Doom, where a crystal clear spring takes its origin. The legend says that the spring can cure any disease or ailment. Not that demons would need it, thanks to their stamina and quick healing abilities, but still, Alastair prefers the healing water to ordinary water.

The demon lord is lying in his bath, enjoying pleasant sensations against his tense muscles. His hands are resting on the edge of the bath as he quietly hums a merry melody.

"Add some more hot water. It's starting to get cold," Alastair shouts at his servant, who's gone to the corner to get fresh clothes for his master. The demon lord has decided to go to the library and choose a book to read, as he does not want to go to sleep yet. "What is taking you so long? Have you missed whipping sessions?" Alastair yells, enraged, when the servant does not show up immediately.

"Forgive me, milord, I was trying to arrange your clothes. Here is your water," someone whispers behind Alastair's back. In another instant a bucket of icy-cold water pours down on his head.

"How dare you?" Alastair roars and tries to sit up, but someone's strong hands grab him around his neck from behind, holding him in the water. A cold chain presses to Alastair's neck, making it difficult to breathe.

"Shhh, now, now, don't fight me, Alastair," a low, raspy voice chuckles and the demon lord recognizes the owner of this voice. Dean Winchester.

"I never thought that you would be such an idiot, Dean Winchester," Alastair laughs. "Or maybe all that beating and torture damaged your brain, since you've apparently forgotten that I've bound your magic. Do you seriously think that you can kill me? Even if you didn't have those handcuffs on, you'd never defeat me. Your magic is not as powerful as mine." Alastair almost succeeds breaking from Dean's grip, but in the last second something sharp and pointy presses to his neck.

"Who said that I came here to kill you with my magic?" Dean's laughter sounds sinister and it disturbs even the superior demon. "I've got something better for you. The Kiss of Death." He presses the tip of the dagger harder to his warlord’s neck, drawing a small amount of blood.

Alastair hisses as the wound burns and looks at the door of his chamber. "Guards!" he shouts and tries to fight Dean off.

"No one is going to help you. They're all knocked out. See, I came prepared. Now, back to business. First thing: take these things off of me." Dean rattles the chains in front of Alastair's nose.

His hopes that the guards would come to his aid shatter and Alastair has no other choice but to obey. He mumbles a few words in an ancient language and the handcuffs from Dean's wrists disappear.

"Good. That's some progress. If you do as I tell you, I may spare your life. Now, tell me, where did you send Castiel? How do I get him back here?" The green-eyed demon's voice is cold and sharp, cutting through the flesh.

"You think I am afraid of death?" Alastair laughs. "Hate to disappoint you, but no, I have no fear. As for your question, I have a short reply: fuck you!" Alastair smirks when he hears Dean gritting his teeth.

"I will repeat my question. Where did you send Castiel and how do I get him back here?" The younger demon grabs Alastair's hair, yanking his head back. "Think well before answering, Alastair. Don't test my patience."

"Seeing you so desperate and wild, not knowing where your mate is or what is happening to him, is a great pleasure for me. You will never find him and I will never tell you where I sent him. You will suffer for your whole life, until he dies of old age, or maybe someone kills him. Who knows, maybe he's been sold as a slave and his master is beating the living daylights out of him. If that's true, it's such a pity we can't see it. Or maybe he's become a whore, spreading his legs for legions of warriors? So, I will repeat my previous answer: fuck you. Now, hurry up and finish your task." Alastair's nonchalant tone sends Dean into a brief stupor, but he quickly comes to.

"If that's your final decision," he rasps and slides the dagger across Alastair's neck.

* * *

At sunrise, the fortress is woken up by the ringing of a summoning bell. Demons gather one by one in the main hall, where Alastair's throne is. But there is no sign of the demon lord or Azazel. Instead of Alastair, the astonished demons see Dean Winchester sitting on the throne, scanning the public thoroughly with narrowed eyes.

"What's happening?" Sam is the first one to ask, throwing a worried and bewildered glance at his brother. "Have you lost your mind? What are you doing there?"

Dean pays very little attention to Sam's words. His stops carving symbols into the arm rest of the throne with a dagger and gets up. He walks forward with slow, determined steps and stops in the middle of the hall in front of the demons. Without any words, he raises his hands, demonstrating that he no longer wears the handcuffs. A loud gasp spreads through the crowd and the demons stare at him attentively, awaiting some significant announcement.

"My fellow warriors," Dean begins with a calm, confident voice. "I have some very important things to tell you. You are no longer prisoners of this fortress. All of you, like me and my brother, were brought here in early childhood so Alastair could train you for his wicked plans, and I am glad to announce that starting today, you are free to go. You can go back to your home or wherever you want, because both Alastair and Azazel are dead. I killed them."

There is dead silence in the hall after Dean's words, but soon after, whispers pour loudly from every direction.

"How do we know that you're telling the truth?" asks one of the demons.

Dean smiles. Demons are doubtful and probably it's a good thing that they don't trust easily. He unbuttons his shirt and the audience can see Alastair's amulet now worn around the younger demon's neck.

"As for Azazel, if you want proof, I can present it to you." Dean fumbles in his trouser's pocket and pulls something out, which is folded in a handkerchief. He unfolds and throws it forward before the dumbstruck public.

It's a decapitated finger with a massive golden ring on it. A huge emerald shines blindingly when the morning sun rays reflect off of it. It's Azazel's finger. Every demon in the fortress knows this ring and it cannot be mistaken for any other.

"One more thing," the older Winchester adds. "You are free to go and do whatever you want except one thing. You will not harm humans. Not in this village, nor any other."

"And what? Wait and watch as demon hunters kill us all?" snorts a tall demon with a black hair.

"No. If they attack, you will defend yourselves, but I won't allow you attack humans just because you feel bored and want to have some fun. Believe me, if I find out that someone in this hall disobeyed, I will hunt them down. Is everything clear? Does anyone want to object?" Dean frowns deeply.

There are no protests. Seems like the demons are quite fine with the decision made by Dean.

"Gather your belongings, prepare everything that you need. We will leave the fortress in the evening. And before our departure, we will burn this place down," the older Winchester declares victoriously.

* * *

"Did Alastair tell you where he sent Castiel?" Sam asks as soon as they are out of the hall, walking towards Dean's chamber.

"No, he didn't say. He preferred to die rather than avow." The older Winchester sighs and pours water into his goblet, emptying it in one gulp.

"So, any ideas what we are going to do?" Sam sits down on a chair.

"Yes. You will go home, back to our fortress. Meanwhile, I will find Malphas." Dean puts down the goblet.

"Dean, no one knows if he's even alive, let alone where he lives."

"I've heard he lives in the White Mountains."

"You may need help, Dean. He is an ancient, powerful demon. He may harm you," Sam protests.

Dean shakes his head. "I don't think so. If he wanted to be a common evil demon he would not have left this fortress. I think he left because he stands above our shitty, cruel nature. He wanted to be different. Go home, Sammy. Depending on what he tells me, I may not see you for a long time. I may go on my quest of searching Cas right after we talk. You do understand that, don't you?"

Sam nods. He understands very well. And he also understands that Dean may die, but he cannot restrain his brother.

* * *

"Dean, please be careful. I won't be there to save your sorry ass, so promise me you won't do anything stupid, alright?" Sam's voice is treacherously shaking and he hates it.

"Don't worry. I'll do my best to stay alive and bring Cas back. Alright, we better go."

The brothers hug each other tightly. Dean knows Sam is worried and tries to lighten up his mood with some silly jokes, patting his back supportively.

"See you later, Sammy." Dean breaks the hug and smiles at his brother. He mounts Impala and squeezes his calves against her sides. The horse neighs and gallops away.

As soon as the rider and the horse disappear into the woods, a fire breaks through the roof of the fortress.

The smoke and flames rise up to the skies as the army of demons riding on horses leave through the gates of the fortress one by one, leaving only smoking walls behind.


	37. Chapter 37

Legend has it that any demons who decide to become hermits end up living in the cave of the White Mountains. There have not been many occasions, but still there were a few demons who had preferred to live isolated from the living world. Their will to become hermits was final and no one could force them to stay, kill, or harm them in any way possible. It was an unwritten law and there had not been any cases of breaking it. One such demon is Malphas, an ancient and powerful creature, wise and far-seeing, who is Dean Winchester's last hope for locating Castiel. 

Dean's final destination - the White Mountains - were formed many centuries ago when earth was still newly created. They had originated after the great earthquake, from unknown supernatural forces. Some people thought it was the Gods' will, some preferred to think it was the result of the outrage of the forces of the underworld. No one knew the exact answer, but they had agreed on one thing: that it would be better to stay away from the place as far as possible.

Even though Impala is the fastest, strongest horse alive, it takes Dean three days and nights to get to the mountains. It's late in the evening when he finally gets there, stopping at the slope of the mountains, looking up at the silent, gloomy place. This place has a lot of caves, but thanks to his demonic nature it should not be difficult for the green-eyed demon to find Malphas. Demons radiate special energy, auras, which make it easy to find each other, and the might coming out of one of the caves is so powerful that Dean reels in his saddle. Impala neighs anxiously, rearing and snorting.

"It's alright, baby, it's alright!" Dean pats her, trying to calm down the horse. "There's nothing to worry about."

He dismounts Impala and ties the reins to a tree. There are no more doubts left that Malphas is still alive. Dean has never felt such powerful waves of energy, not even from Alastair. Who knows, maybe Sam was right and this creature can kill Dean simply with a single look? The young demon shakes his head, getting rid of bothersome thoughts, and walks up the slope towards the cave from which the energy is emanating.

He takes a good look at his surroundings. A light breeze caresses his face and the young demon inhales the fresh air deeply. The view from here is mesmerizing and Dean can't blame Malphas for choosing to live in peace, closer to nature and the elements, away from blood and torture. He quickly recovers from the momentary trance and resumes walking towards the entrance of the cave.

As soon as Dean walks in, he's met with a shimmering light pouring from every corner. He's inside of an immense cavern with beautiful stalactite and stalagmite structures, which are the source of the mentioned lights. Monotonous dripping sounds reach his hearing and cold air caresses his face, a sign of a possible underground lake deep inside these mountains. As further proof of this, his boots become wet as he keeps moving forward.

"Hello? Malphas, I know you're here!" Dean shouts and looks around, grabbing the hilt of his sword, just in case. "I ca…"  He cannot finish the sentence as a powerful air wave hits him, throwing against a limestone wall, knocking all the air out of his lungs. The older Winchester struggles against the invisible force that holds him high and chained to the wall, but all of his efforts are futile.

"I did not come here as your enemy. I… I need your help… please…" Dean wheezes out.

For a moment nothing happens, but then from the depths of the cave, a figure appears. He's wearing a dark, long, hooded cape, which sweeps against the ground. He stops in front of Dean, studying the young demon's face attentively.

"I need your help." Dean feels dizzy from the sheer power of the superior creature. Indeed, Malphas is a mighty demon. The unseen grip disappears and Dean thuds to the ground painfully.

"Who are you?" a raspy voice asks.

"My name is Dean Winchester. I…"

"Hush…" sounds a strange reply. The figure removes its hood, revealing his face. The face is covered in multiple deep wrinkles and a long, white beard, but the most significant feature are his eyes – milky white colored eyes, which are full of fathomless wisdom and experience.

"I've been waiting for you, Dean Winchester," Malphas says quietly. "And for quite a long time," he adds.

"What?" Dean asks, puzzled. "You've been waiting for me? Why? And how did you know that I would come to you?"

Malphas lets out a throaty chuckle. "You are forgetting who I am, my boy."

The young demon blinks. How could he have forgotten that Malphas can see the future? That there are no secrets hidden from him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound offensive," Dean mumbles his apologies.

The host stares at him curiously. "You are a strange creature, Dean Winchester, and I like it. I suppose you came here to ask how to find your mate? I don't think you came because of my looks." The demon says it with a dead serious face, but as the seconds pass his stern face smooths and he begins to chuckle. Dean stops gaping sheepishly and a wide grin spreads on his lips. He decides that he likes Malphas and his weird sense of humor.

"Come with me," the white-eyed demon says and turns around to walk the same way he came from.

They go through many tunnels that are all different from each other in their appearance, size, and shape, but all of them have one thing in common: silence. It's like they're sunk in eternal sleep and no one's ever tried to disturb their peace.

Dean is speechless and awed. This place is cryptic, soaked in magic and unexplained mysteries, strengthened by knowledge, known to only the chosen ones. As they pass a green lake, the younger demon's mind imagines sacred rituals performed in its water. The lights from stalactites illuminate their way as Malphas takes his visitor to his living place.

* * *

"Tell me your story," Malphas says. "Of course I already know it, but I want to hear it from you. One is like an open book when they talk about their worries, revealing their true intentions and their deepest desires." He gestures for Dean to sit on a square shaped stone covered with furs. The older demon does the same.

This part of the cave where they are is illuminated with hundreds of candles standing on stone shelves. There is a small table in the middle of the cave with paper, a quill, and an inkpot on it. A tall wooden chair stands nearby the table.

Dean nods and begins: "I come from Alastair's fortress. I am one of his warriors. It happened that I fell in love with a human and we became mates. Because of my foolish pride and arrogance, Alastair found out about us and captured us both. He tortured me for hours, making Castiel witness all of it. As Alastair could not break our bond, he did something horrible to him, which I still cannot understand. There was a dark, howling hole that devoured my human. I no longer hear Castiel's thoughts, but I know he's alive, because I'm still breathing." Dean speaks feverishly, rubbing his forehead. Maybe his words do not make much sense.

"I suppose Alastair and Azazel are dead and the fortress burned down?" Malphas quirks his brow.

The older Winchester nods. "Yes. Alastair would not tell me what he did to Castiel and I killed him. That's why I'm here. You are my only hope. There has to be a way to find out what happened to my lover." The younger demon's eyes stare at the host pleadingly.

Malphas sighs. His guest is different from other demons. His suffering is pure and sincere, enriched with desperation. Maybe it's the merit of his human lover? It has to be, as he can see a raging fire in the younger demon's soul, a desire to find his mate, no matter what the cost.

"Did he use any special attributes while performing the ritual?" Malphas combs through his beard with his fingers.

Dean unbuttons his shirt and unlocks Alastair's amulet from his neck, giving it to the older demon.

Malphas smiles as he sees the amulet. He recognizes it and its purpose. "Of course he would use this. It's an amulet used to open the portals between various worlds and dimensions. It opens the gates in space and time."

"Wait. So, does that mean that… that Alastair sent Castiel to a different world?" Dean swallows hard.

"I'm afraid so, my young friend. There are thousands of worlds and he's in one of them."

Dean's knuckles turn white and a cold sweat starts to cover his back. A thousand worlds? How are they going to find out which world Castiel was sent to? Is it even possible?

Malphas senses his thoughts and bitterness and clears his throat. "I know what you're thinking. As for the answer to your question, yes, it is possible to find out your lover's whereabouts, but I must warn you it will be very painful for you. Are you ready for it?"

"Yes!" Dean exclaims without hesitation. "I'll do whatever I have to. What should I do? Tell me!"

The host lets out a small chuckle. "You will not have to do much. I will do everything."

"What are you going to do? Is there a special ritual? How are we going to find out about Castiel's location?" Dean asks anxiously.

"Patience, my boy, patience." Malphas pats his shoulder amicably. "We need to form a circle from the candles first."

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" Dean asks, puzzled. He is sitting in Malphas' chair, with his hands and legs tied tightly to it.

"Trust me, it is. The pain will be unbearable and you must be tied up well, as you should not move during the process. Are the ropes strong enough?" The host fusses behind Dean's back.

"Yeah, I think they are." The younger demon struggles and tries to move his hands that are tied to the armrests, but can't move them.

"Good."

"So, you are saying that you will enter my mind and search for the memories of Alastair sending Castiel to the other world, right?" Dean cranes his neck to look at the old demon.

"You're not quite right." Malphas shakes his head. "I will enter Alastair's mind through you. It takes a lot of energy and concentration. Not everyone can do it. Now, are you ready? Have you changed your mind?"

"No! Do it!" Dean exclaims, licking his lips.

"Alright. Here, put this into your mouth and bite down on it when the pain becomes unbearable, and remember you must not move." Malphas is holding Dean's leather belt, waiting for the younger demon to open his mouth.

"Great," Dean mumbles, but obeys. He holds it firmly with his teeth, feeling a salty taste of leather.

"Let us begin," Malphas whispers and stands behind Dean, touching the older Winchester's temples with his fingers.

The older demon begins to sing an incantation in a language Dean doesn't recognize, which is strange, considering that the green-eyed demon knows every existing language. Well, at least he thought he knew 'til this moment.

The flames from the candles blaze, reaching towards the ceiling of the cave, forming a fire wall around the two men.

The next few minutes are full of excruciating pain for Dean. It feels like thousands of knives are stabbing his brain, cutting it into pieces. It's worse than Alastair's torture and Dean bites down on his leather belt with all his strength. There are voices in his head, blurred faces and muffled sounds, dark shadows and vague outlines of objects. All of this mixed with Malphas' cryptic incantation sends Dean's mind into a spiraling haze, accompanied with insufferable pain and desperation, which are getting worse with each second.

Dean's fingers twitch and curl up into claws, his shirt is soaked in cold sweat, the veins on his neck and forehead stand out as his breathing gets labored. Another wave of pain crashes down on him and the older Winchester howls. His eyes are wide open as his throat tries to rip itself open. Saliva stretches from the corner of his mouth as his teeth are sunk deep into the belt. He's gathering all of his willpower to keep from moving.

"Got it…"

Malphas' sudden statement is like a gift from the Gods. All the pain and suffering vanishes and Dean's head hangs loose on his chest. He barely has the strength to spit out his belt.

It seems that the ritual has taken a lot of Malphas' energy too, as the demon moves from behind Dean's back slowly and with difficulty. He goes to the table and returns with a glass full of water.

"Here, drink this." The host puts the glass against Dean's lips and the younger demon drinks the liquid greedily.

"Did… did you find where he sent Castiel?" Dean rasps as Malphas is untying his hands.

The old demon nods. "You should rest a little. It took a lot of your energy too."

"I don't have time for that," Dean objects. "Please, tell me everything and then I will go."

"Has anyone ever told you that impatience is one of your demerits?" Malphas smirks. "You need to work on that. Besides, it's been a very long time since I've seen anyone of my kind and I would like to have a short conversation with you before you go. This is the least you can do for me. I am sure you would not turn down an old demon's offer to share his poor meal with you, would you?"

Dean opens and closes his mouth several times, nothing coming out of it. Suddenly he feels like an asshole. Malphas simply could have chosen not to help him, but instead he did and he's only asking for a few minutes spent together.

"Um… yes… yes, sure. I'm sorry," he mutters apologetically.

"Great." The old demon smiles. "Please take a seat, my young friend. I have some good wine, which I kept especially for your visit."

"I appreciate your hospitality," Dean smiles and takes a seat at the table. Malphas puts two plates and mugs on the table, along with some cheese, bread, and smoked meat.

Watching him fussing around, Dean's heart fills with warmth and hope. He knows that he will see the love of his life soon and that there will be nothing that can stop him on his mission.


	38. Chapter 38

Impala watches her master curiously as he walks from one tree to the other with a thoughtful expression on his face. Dean is busy recalling every small detail which Malphas has told him. There are some important things the young demon must remember.

_"Remember, it is a different realm and time. Your usual demonic powers will not work there, but your connection with your mate will still be effective. You will not be able to teleport or use any other skills. Basically you will be as vulnerable as human. But there is something which you can take with you as a consolation. Take a handful of soil from the forest and wrap it in a cloth. Always keep it with you during your stay in the foreign land. It has healing powers. No wound or illness will affect you while you have it with you."_

Dean exhales sharply, recalling Malphas' advice and starts to search for a spot where the ground is not too rocky or hard. He finds it near a blueberry bush and kneels to dig up and gather some soil. His hands work quickly and effectively, placing soft, crumbly soil on a blue handkerchief, which he always carries with him. He has gathered more than a handful, decides that it should be enough and ties accurate knots.

"Well, one thing is done." Dean huffs out a small laugh. "Now, time to do the rest." He puts the handkerchief in his pocket and walks to Impala. "I want you to be a good girl while I'm gone, alright, baby?" The young demon pets her head.

Impala stills for a second, but then she rears and neighs furiously, stamping the ground with her front legs. Her eyes flash thunder and lightning, nostrils fuming with rage. The beast looks anxious and heartbroken. How could her master do this to her?

"Baby, please," Dean croons and tries to calm the horse down. "I know you want to come with me, but it's too dangerous. Please understand, I can't take you with me. I'm sorry, I am so sorry!" He kisses her forehead and combs her mane tenderly.

Impala snorts and neighs pitifully, nudging her master in the shoulder. Dean's heart sinks and his stomach twists when he sees a tear rolling down Impala's cheek. The demon knows how hard it is for her to let him go alone. It's not like Dean will feel better without her, but he can't take risks. If the foreign realm blocks his demonic powers and magic skills, it would affect Impala too, as she's not an ordinary horse. Who knows what monsters and creatures are awaiting him in the other world? What if they can kill his horse with one strike? No, he can't let that happen. Impala will stay here; Sammy will take care of her until he returns. The decision is severe, but justified. At least, he thinks so.

"You need to go, my precious. Go home. Sammy will take care of you and wait for me. I'll be back, I promise, and I'll bring back Cas. You like him, don't you?" Dean whispers to her, scratching between her ears soothingly.

Impala nods, making some pitiful sound in the back of her throat, still upset that Dean isn't taking her with him. It's unbelievable how strongly connected they are: the master and his horse. It's not a surprise, as they grew up together. Impala was a special gift to Dean from his father. She was a tiny little foal when John gave her to his four-year-old son as a birthday gift. Since then, they have not been separated. Even when Alastair captured and brought him to his fortress, Dean's demand was to have Impala by his side.

The horse knows that Dean is a very stubborn creature and she will not make him change his mind. She just nuzzles her head against his chest, nickering softly, as if asking Dean to stay safe.

"I promise, baby, I will be fine. Don't worry about me. Now go, it's getting dark." Dean looks around, searching for the sun. It's almost sunset and he needs to hurry up.

He knows perfectly well that there is no beast that could harm Impala; she is way too fast for them to chase and catch up with her. But still, she needs to go, so he can continue without a heavy heart.

Dean gives her one final kiss on the forehead and smacks her on the rump. "Go!"

Impala turns around and lets out a long, deafening neigh, saying goodbye to her master before breaking into a fast gallop. Dean lets out a shuddering breath and reaches for his other pocket, where he has a small folded skin with a spell written on it. Yes, it's still there, he hasn't lost it. But he needs to draw a circle first and pour his blood over the lines. He searches for a plain, grassless surface, which is not easy, but finally he succeeds.

"Hah, this is going to need a lot of blood," Dean chuckles, looking at a circle he has just drawn in the mud using a stick. "But you are worth of all my blood, Cas - my blood, my breath, my life." He quickly slashes his palm, making sure that the wound is deep enough to draw out a sufficient amount of blood.

Dean clenches his fist and passes it over the circle he drew, letting the blood drip down into its lines, watching the small red streams connect with each other to form one big unbroken chain.

"Perfect." Dean smirks, taking the golden amulet off of his neck. He carefully places it in the middle of the circle and pulls the skin out of his pocket, quickly healing his bleeding palm while he still can, and reads the spell.

"Ekh mosh zoaru acineteia Castiel, ebo loary moroadesh. Elibo reinozadeth ahorish."

The ground starts to quake, a mighty wind blows and howls, making hundred-year-old trees double over and breaking their branches. There are cracks appearing within the circle and instinctively Dean backs off, grabbing the amulet before it falls and vanishes into the darkness. The ground opens up, revealing a black hole in the middle and the demon gulps nervously. He grasps the hilt of his sword tightly, waiting for a while. When nothing jumps out of the pit, he makes a step forward.

"I'm coming Cas," he whispers and closes his eyes, making a step forward into the roaring darkness.  
He cannot see anything; it's pitch dark around him. He can only feel. Feel how he keeps falling and falling and falling. He does not know how long it lasts and frustration rises in him, thinking that it's endless falling, when he crashes into something. The collision is so hard that he passes out.

* * *

_"Dean…"_

The voice sounds so familiar.

_"Dean, where are you?"_

He makes a painful groan and tries to inhale with his mouth, but it gets filled with sand and he's thrown into a coughing fit.

_"I miss you so much. I pray that you are safe, Dean…"_

His eyes snap open and he sits up abruptly. "Cas? Is that you? Cas, where are you? Damn it!" Dean jumps up and tries to see something, anything around him. The moonlight is enough for him to see some of his surroundings. There is only silence and lots of sand around him. A slight breeze blows, tossing sand into his face, and he's forced to pull the hood of his cape over his eyes.

_"Please be safe. I love you…"_

"Castiel!" Dean yells. "Tell me where you are! Say the name of the place! Cas, for the love of everything that is holy to you. Say the name of the place. Where should I search for you?" The demon grabs his head in desperation, fighting a mighty urge to start howling from frustration. "Come on, Cas. You can do it. Please… please say the name of the place…"

The answer never comes and Dean shouts curses at the skies above this damn realm. He falls down on his knees, banging his fists in the yellow sand. This is going to be a long, hard road, he assumes. It's not like he would come here, see Castiel, and take him back.

As he bangs his fists in the sand out of frustration one more time, he feels a sharp pain in his left hand, like thousands of needles pricked the skin at the same time.

"What the…" Dean growls and narrows his eyes. There is a thick, yellow snake near his hand, rearing and ready for the next attack.

"You damn fucker," the demon snarls, grabbing it in the blink of an eye and tearing it apart. "Serves you right!"

The demon laughs out loud. He's so grateful to Malphas, who advised to take the soil from the forest, as he already feels his magic skills are deeply asleep. Dean sucks out the venom from the bite, spitting it out angrily. His hand fumbles in the pocket of his trousers, taking the handkerchief out and pressing it to the wound. The cool silk feels nice against his irritated, hot skin and the young demon feels how the soil heals him.

"I hope I won't be walking through this sand forever," he mutters under his breath and decides to keep moving forward until he sees any signs of life. Humans, demons, animals, whatever. He just does not want to be all alone. And that's when he regrets not taking Impala with him. Maybe he made a mistake? Dean shakes his head. No, she'd better stay with Sam and be safe.

The demon keeps walking, moving through the numerous hills of sand of this vast space. The silence is driving him crazy and his nerves are strained when he hears a muffled cry.

"Help me…"

Hmm, he knows this language. But from where? Then he recalls that he speaks every existing language and huffs. Sam is right, he's an idiot. Well, sometimes. Dean rushes over to the place where the sound is coming from and he finds a man lying in the sand, beaten and bloody. When he sees Dean, the man starts flailing.

"No, no, don't hurt me, please!"

Dean raises his hands. "Hey, hey, calm down. I won't hurt you! I want to help you. What happened?"

The man swallows hard and rasps out, "Our caravan was robbed. The robbers killed my assistants and took all of our goods and some of our camels. A few animals escaped and are running somewhere in this desert. The robbers thought I was dead and left."

Dean nods. "I need to check your wounds. I can help." He gets closer to see the man's wounds, and pulls his hood down to cover his glowing green eyes. No need to terrify this poor soul.

The wounds are deep and the man has lost a lot of blood, but he seems strong and will not die. The demon pulls out his handkerchief; this should work on humans too.

"Alright, this may seem strange, but it will help. Hopefully." He adds the last word only to himself.

He cuts the man's white robe, parting its edges, revealing two wounds, one on his chest and the other one on his stomach.

"What are you doing?" the man croaks, looking at the stranger with unfocused eyes.

"Hold on. Let's hope it works," Dean answers and places a small amount of soil on the wounds. The man hisses at the touch, but he's too tired and weak to fight it off. His hissing quickly dies out when he feels that something is happening.

"I… I feel better," he says, awed. "What did you do to me? And who are you?" he whispers, bewildered.

"My name is Dean, and I am here to find someone who is very dear to me. Let's see if it worked."

The wounds are gone. This soil is truly amazing. Dean sits down near the man, putting the handkerchief into his pocket.

"Do you want to tell me your name, stranger?" He looks at the man beside him.

"I'm a merchant and my name is Amir Ibn Khaled," replies the stranger.

And if something tugs at Dean's heart after hearing the man's name, he does not show it.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some motherfriggin' feels ;) It's gonna hurt like a bitch.

The demon breaks the silence first. "You said you are a merchant. Where were you heading to?"

"My caravan had to reach Libya where we had customers waiting for their goods, but we've been attacked by the robbers and as you can see I've lost everything: my people, goods, and animals. I don't even have a single camel to return home." The man sighs.

"How many animals did you have? Were they all taken by the robbers?" Dean asks suddenly and sits up.

"I had thirty camels and the robbers took most of them, but I saw a few camels that escaped and now are running around somewhere in this desert." Amir shrugs and a bitter smile appears on his lips.

"If they aren't dead, I can bring them back to you." The demon stands up and glances around.

"But how… who are you?" The merchant stares at this strange man with his mouth hanging open, but his next question is cut off by Dean's raised hand.

His eyes scan the vast distance of yellow, hot sand, coated in beautiful patterns etched into the surface by the desert wind. Dean takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and concentrates on his task. The sound that he makes is something between a high-pitched shriek and bleating, which startles the merchant, but he nevertheless stays quiet.

The demon returns to his place and takes a seat beside the bewildered merchant, who is still staring at him. Dean fidgets uncomfortably under his intense gaze, wrapping himself more tightly in his cloak and pulling the hood more securely around his face.

"You are a very strange man, Dean." Amir says. There's a beat of silence. "Why are you hiding your face?"

Dean mumbles something under his breath, clenching his fists nervously, but a sigh of relief escapes his mouth when he hears jingling sounds in the distance. As the sounds get nearer, Amir's breath quickens until it turns into panting. Two camels are slowly approaching them.

"Allah almighty!" The merchant throws his hands in the air and drops down on his knees, muttering a prayer. When he's done, Amir turns to Dean and bows respectfully. "Thank you!"

The demon simply shrugs. "No worries."

The desert breeze chooses that exact moment to blow and pull the hood off of Dean's head. Amir emits a bloodcurdling scream when he sees the demon's blazing green eyes. The merchant waves his hands in fear and tries to crawl as far as he possibly can from Dean.

"Please don't kill me! I have a wife and seven children. Please don't hurt me!"

"No, no!" Dean shouts, raising his hands, showing that he has no intention of harming the man. "I have no such wish. If I wanted to kill you, why would I help you?"

Amir stops his hysteria and falls silent. Indeed, why would this creature bother helping him when he could have killed him in the beginning?

"Who – or rather what are you?" the merchant rasps and wraps his shaking hands around his knees.

"I… I am a demon," Dean answers reluctantly. He knows how humans fear this word, and he's not mistaken when Amir gasps in fear. "But I am not going to hurt anyone, unless they try to stop me from reaching my aim."

"What aim? What are you doing in this desert?" Amir gets bolder and looks at Dean with more courage.

"It's a long story," Dean begins and pets one of the camels. The beast just snorts and rubs its head against his chest. The demon chuckles and whispers something to it, after which the camel goes and lies beside its master. Amir is witnessing everything with wide eyes.

"I would like to hear your story," he asks Dean. "Please tell."

The demon understands that he needs an ally in this strange world and this man could help him. Being a merchant means he's been to many places and therefore he must know a lot of people. Maybe he can even help find Castiel?

The green-eyed creature nods and begins. "I come from a different world. My fellow demons and I lived in a fortress that was in the forest. There is a big field between the forest and a small village called Raven's Tear. Humans did not have a right to enter the woods; it was a law issued by our warlord. But there were occasions when this law had been broken and it all ended lamentably for the humans." Dean takes a deep breath and continues. 

"Because of my improvidence, our warlord Alastair caught me and my human lover in the woods. He sent my lover to this world and threw me into the dungeon for a month. After I got out of the prison, I was able to open a portal between our two worlds with the assistance of an older, wiser demon. This is why I'm here. I need to find Cas, so we can return to our world together."

Amir has been listening very carefully and analyzing every word the demon has said. What Dean has been saying sounds insane, but after the trick the demon has pulled, after seeing his glowing eyes, the merchant has a hard time not believing this creature’s words.

"She must be very beautiful. You must be madly in love with her, to go to such lengths to find her." Amir smiles. "Reminds me of myself, how insanely I love my wife Layla."

Dean coughs and shifts awkwardly. "Actually it's not her. It's him."

Amir gulps loudly, but quickly regains his composure. "Oh, I see. My apologies. What is his name?"

"Cas. He's name is Cas." Dean's voice sounds broken and full of sorrow.

"Hmm…" Amir stares at the sand at his feet. "Why does this name sound so familiar to me?" He mutters to himself. "Can you… can you tell me what he looks like?"

Dean frowns at the merchant's question, but still answers him. "He's a little bit shorter than I. Messy, dark hair. The most significant thing about him is his eyes. He has the clearest blue eyes I've ever seen."

Now it's time for Dean to get startled as Amir starts to shake in silent but violent laughter. The merchant's whole body is trembling and the demon fears that the poor man has lost his mind.

"Hey, Amir. What's wrong?" He touches the man's shoulder gingerly. "Are you alright?"

Amir wipes the stray tears off and grins at the demon. "Yes, I am perfectly fine. Is his full name Castiel? If so, I know where he is."

Dean just nods, dumbstruck. "Yes, correct. How do you know this?"

Amir shakes his head in disbelief. Fate is such a strange thing! "Castiel is in Constantinople with the Angelopoulos brothers."

Dean jumps to his feet, utterly shocked. He can't believe what he's hearing.

"But how… how do you know where Castiel is? How?"

Amir looks at the demon with a small smile on his sunburned face. "Trust me, I know this. It was I who took him there in the first place!"

* * *

It seems that the scales have tipped in Dean's favor, as Amir's house is not too far away and it takes them only three days to reach it. While they make their way through the desert riding on the backs of the camels, Amir learns a lot of things about Dean and the foreign world he has come from. The merchant in return explains their customs and traditions, their lifestyle, political and economic situation. And Dean begins to like this man and the interesting stories he tells.

Amir's house is truly mesmerizing and splendid. It was built by famous, very skilled architects and carpenters, with marble stones that change their colors depending on the sun's location and weather. In the morning it may have a tender peach color, in the afternoon pearly white, and in the evening icy blue.

The interior is even more amazing than the exterior. Mosaic floors, tall marble columns, girih patterns on walls, a ceiling covered in decorative patterns called arabesque. It's enough to keep Dean staring with his mouth open, clear awe on his face.

"See something that you like?" Amir laughs gently, noticing Dean's excitement.

"This is so beautiful," the demon says incredulously. He looks so ecstatic that it reminds Amir of the pure joy of a child.

"Come with me." Amir gestures Dean to keep walking. "We should eat and rest. Then we decide when to go to Constantinople."

"Thank you, Amir, for your help and kindness," the green-eyed demon says sincerely. "It means a lot to me."

"You are welcome," the host says with a shrug. "This is the least I can do for you. It's I who should be thanking you for saving my life."

They walk through a long hall. Both of them are quiet, thinking about their own problems. Dean is thinking about Castiel, while the host feels guilty for hiding the fact that he sold Castiel in Constantinople as a slave.

* * *

After two days Amir tells Dean that they will go on a journey far away to the empire of Huns, where their ruler Ernakh is waiting for him to arrive and bring goods – weapons in particular. The demon agrees immediately. He does not want to waste more time, he just wants to see Castiel and hold him in a tight embrace.

The journey is long and exhausting. First they have to go from Cairo to Saudi Arabia taking a ferry boat, then cross Iraq by passing through a small border town called Zakho, and then they must move through the whole country, enter the Black Sea region and take a ship from Phasis to Odesoss – a port town in the empire of Huns.

The whole road starting from Cairo to the Hunic empire makes 2734 miles, which is almost two months. By the time they enter Odessos, Dean is ready to rip someone to shreds from despair. The fact that Castiel keeps eerily silent just makes things worse.

Amir shows mercy and they leave the town as soon as he gets his money for the weapons he's brought for the ruler. They take the next small ship, which will bring them to their final destination – Constantinople!  
Thanks to all existing Gods, the weather is good and their ship reaches the big walls of Constantinople in five days.

Dean is sleeping when alarmed shouts sound from the deck and he wakes up. He's up in an instant, running upstairs to find Amir.

"What's the matter?" he asks the merchant, who's yelling something frantically, making some abstract signs in the air.

"We must go back! We must go back!" Amir screams in fear, not stopping his frantic gestures.

"What? Have you lost your mind?" Dean shouts. "What's going on?" He grabs the merchant by his shoulders and shakes him hard. "Talk to me!"

"Allah, help us all!" Amir points in front of him and Dean follows the direction. There are black banners flapping in the breeze, above the city walls.

Dean wants to ask something, but suddenly he stills and sniffs the air. The wind is bringing with it an unpleasant, terrifying smell, which is far too familiar to Dean. It smells… it smells like burning flesh.

"What the fuck?" Dean whispers, frightened as he sees black smoke rising up to the skies.

"We must go back! Turn the ship around now!" The Arab shouts and grabs his head in despair.

"What's happening?" the demon yells at him, enraged. He's tired of vagueness and requires the damn answer right now!

"The Black Death has entered the great walls of the city," Amir moans. "It will kill everyone. There is no cure for it."

"What the fuck is Black Death?" Dean snarls. No, he will not give up when he's so close to Cas!

"It means plague! It will kill everyone, men and women and children! We are going back to Cairo and let's pray we will not get infected." Amir runs away from him still shouting and giving orders to sailors.

"Going back? Oh, no, I'm not going back!" Dean yells and unsheathes his sword. "I'm going to find Castiel. I am not going anywhere 'til I find him!" With these words, he jumps into the cold water, swimming towards the cliffs.

"Dean!" Amir shouts when he sees what the demon has done. "Come back, you fool!"

"I'm coming, Cas! I'm coming! Just a little longer, hold on for me! I'm almost there!" Dean pants, struggling against the waves. He has no idea how he's going to get into the city, as the gates are firmly shut because no one's allowed to enter or leave the city, but that's not important. Dean will think of something!

He's reached the cliff and tries to climb it. It's slippery and his fingers slide every time the demon tries to move up. Dean snarls and curses when his efforts are futile, but he's not giving up!

He's ready to try again when a thick rope loop closes around his middle. Dean stops, confused and not knowing what's just happened, but this is enough for the sailors on the ship and they pull the rope.

"No! Let me go! Let me go or I'll kill you all!" Dean roars when he's dragged towards the ship and he's helpless. The rope is too thick and he can't cut it with his hands bound.

"Amir, let me go! Leave me here and go. Please! Just go, please!" Dean pleads.

No one listens to him and they pull him back on board the ship. The demon's eyes are full of angry tears, threatening to be spilled any minute. Five sailors are trying to hold him still, while the demon is trying to jump back into the water.

"Cas… no no no… You can't do this to me! Amir, let me go, for the love of your God… I need to see him! You don't understand. I can't live without him! I CAN'T LOSE HIM AGAIN!" Dean glares at the merchant, his ragged breath coming out in snarls in his desperation, and pleads with his eyes.

Amir's heart breaks and he knows how horrible Dean feels, but they have become good friends and the merchant does not want to lose him because of the awful disease. So he just shakes his head and steps aside.

Dean sees how the ship turns around, going back to Cairo.

"No! No, no! CAS!" Dean screams and almost breaks free from the grips of the sailors when Amir appears in front of him.

"I am terribly sorry, Dean. God knows I never wanted things to go this way."

The next thing Dean feels is something heavy smashing over his head – a heavy clay amphora. Before the demon sinks into unconsciousness, he hears the Arab mutter his apologies.


	40. Chapter 40

Dean wakes up with an unpleasant sensation in his body. It's like the blood has stopped running in his veins, his arms are stiff and fingers numb. When he takes a good look at himself, the demon realizes that he's tied to a bed.

"You are awake." Amir's voice sounds from the depth of the cabin. The Arab is sitting at a table, going through a journal, where he writes down expenses and income.

"Untie me," Dean rasps, swallowing audibly. His head is pounding from pain and his mouth is dry.

"Not until you promise not to harm me or any of the crew members." Amir closes the journal.

"Why didn't you leave me there, when I begged you to do so?" The demon struggles against the ropes, which are holding him tied firmly to the bed.

"And let you die? Dean, we've become friends and I value our friendship. I don't leave my friends in danger and run away like a coward." The merchant takes a chair, putting it in front of Dean's bunk.

"I wouldn't die! If you forgot, let me remind you that I have the fucking soil with me, which would cure any disease or wounds I could possibly get!" Dean shouts, shaking from distress.

Amir exhales soundly. "You are wrong."

The demon frowns at the Arab's words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't have the soil anymore, Dean."

"That's not possible." The younger man looks down at himself, trying to see a small bag of soil on a leather cord, which he usually wears around his neck. To his dismay, there's nothing there. Dean's desperate eyes meet Amir's sympathetic gaze.

"I have not seen it on you since we left Odessos. At first I thought you had it in your pocket, but then I remembered you saying that around your neck it would be much safer. My guess is that you lost it while we were there. Now, hopefully you understand why I could not let you go there and die of plague."

The demon does not know what to say. Of course he is thankful to Amir for not letting him die of the horrendous disease, but it does not make him feel better. Not when he knows that Castiel is in grave danger.

"Thank you for saving my life, though without Cas it's worth nothing. I would rather die than live without him." Dean's eyes shut, eyelashes fluttering slightly.

"Dean, listen to me," Amir begins gently. "You said that if one of you dies, it will also cause the death of the other. Both of you are alive and I assume Castiel has not fallen ill, otherwise you would feel whatever he feels. Am I right?" After a small nod from the demon, Amir continues. "The Angelopoulos brothers are very rich, I assure you. My guess is they have gathered enough provisions at their villa and they will simply wait it out until the disease vanishes."

Dean considers Amir's words. If the merchant is speaking the truth about the whole thing and the brothers are as rich as Amir states they are, there is no need for them to go outside the house. And if no one leaves the house, there will not be any possibilities for them to get infected.

"Untie me. Please." Dean's voice is broken, guilt and pain obvious in it.

As the merchant's hands release him from the ropes, the demon's mind is full of fervent, anxious thoughts. Only gods know how long it will take until he finally sees Castiel.

* * *

The plague that had afflicted Byzantine, including its capital Constantinople, had been called one of the greatest plagues in history. People had named it the Black Death for a reason. It would cause fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands. The disease would also cause spots on the skin that were red at first and then turn black. Once people were infected, they would infect others rapidly.

According to historians, the plague was brought to Constantinople by infected rodents that came with grain brought from Baghdad. It raided the empire for one year, killing forty percent of the population of Constantinople. The disease had a great effect on the empire's economical and political stability, weakening it significantly. The times were hideous and people who had survived believed it was a punishment sent down by God for their sins.

* * *

Dean's never been one to like reading books, that's more of Sammy's hobby, but it's exactly what he's doing when Amir finds him. The amount of time he has spent in this foreign realm has taken its toll on him – extinguished that blaze in his beautiful, green eyes, which is typical to hot-blooded young men in love. Dean has become more sorrowful and less talkative during this last year since they'd left the walls of Constantinople.

"There you are," Amir says gently. "Found something interesting?"

"It's a collection of local legends. They're interesting," Dean answers, putting the book aside.

"I'm glad you like it. Now, dinner is ready. Let's go and eat something."

The demon shakes his head. "I'm not hungry. Thank you, Amir."

"What a pity. I thought I would share great tidings with you while having dinner." The merchant chuckles, knowing pretty well that it will get the demon's attention. He's known Dean for quite a long time and knows how to approach him.

"What tidings?" Dean asks curiously.

"Not telling you until you come and have dinner with me." Amir turns around, singing a song under his breath in a low voice.

"I give up. I'm coming." Dean throws his hands up in the air and follows the host to the dining hall.

After hearing the tidings, the older Winchester's ears start to ring, blood pumping fast through his veins and his hands start to shake, unable to hold the silver goblet in his hand, spilling the wine on the table.  
The tidings he hears from Amir are indeed great: the gates of Constantinople are open again. The plague has left the city and they will be heading to Byzantine tomorrow at sunrise!

* * *

It's mid-November in Constantinople. The air is chilly and the weather has changed for the worse, getting the Earth ready for a long, cold winter. The sky above is grey like a pigeon's wing, a clear sign of upcoming snow.

The younger Angelopoulos brother is standing at the balcony, looking at the garden below when a servant finds him.

"Master Gabriel, you have guests." The servant bows respectfully.

"Guests?" Gabriel turns around, facing the servant. "I have not been expecting any guests. Who are they?"

"One is your friend, the merchant Amir. As for the other young man, I have not seen him before."

"Oh, our good old friend is here. Sure, take them to the triclinium and I will be there in a short while. Also, inform Balthazar and Castiel, so they can join us too." Gabriel gives the order before going to his room to change clothes.

* * *

"Nice to see you, my friend!" Gabriel exclaims merrily, hugging the merchant tightly. "How have you been?"

"Thanks to Allah, I am not complaining. How are you, Gabriel? How are your brother and Castiel? Tell me the plague has not affected anyone in this house." Amir breaks the hug, pouring the questions at the host.

"No, we have not been affected, which is a miracle. We have not left the house for a whole year. Thankfully we had enough provisions for ourselves and the servants." Gabriel stops explaining, looking at Dean. "You have not introduced your friend, Amir."

"My apologies!" The Arab smacks his forehead. "This is my good friend Dean. We've been through so much together."

"Dean…" Gabriel squints his eyes, recalling the name. He's heard this name before… he's heard it. But from where?

"I am Gabriel. Nice to meet you, Dean." He reaches his hand out towards the demon.

"Likewise," the green-eyed creature nods with a small smile and shakes the younger Angelopoulos' hand.

Gabriel gasps quietly at the contact and lets go of his hand hurriedly. There is something strange about Dean, which he can't figure out. He looks like an ordinary handsome man but there is something cryptic in his persona. It's like he's not a human, like he's a…

"You…" Gabriel steps back. "You are not human…" His eyes are wide.

Dean pales and looks at Amir for support. "I… I…" he begins, never finishing the sentence.

"You are real," Gabriel continues, shocked. "Castiel had told us about you but we thought it was his imagination."

"I'm real. I've come a long way to take him back to our world where we belong," the demon says without faltering.

"Right… of course…" Gabriel mumbles. "Please take a seat, have something to drink and eat fruits before dinner." He gestures to the sofas and soft cushions.

The guests gladly accept his offer and lie on the sofas. Dean's anxiousness reaches its culmination, while his heart pounds like a war-drum. Cas is here and he will see him in a short while! To calm his ragged breathing, Dean sips his drink from an expensive goblet, while his knuckles turn white around it.

The door of triclinium opens and soft laughter reaches them. There are two voices arguing and laughing quietly.

"Oh, Cassie, I'm telling you, that is not what she said!" A pleasant, more mature voice states.

"I am more than sure that's exactly what she said – 'Take me, I am yours!'" a younger voice says firmly, showing the opponent that he's not to argue.

In an instant Dean is on his feet. The rare crystal goblet with golden ornaments that he's been holding slips out of his hand, shattering into pieces on the mosaic floor. Dean Winchester makes a few steps towards the newcomers and freezes to the spot, unable to move.

"Cas…" The only word escaping his mouth sounds louder than thunder, echoing in the high walls of the Angelopoulos' villa.

The young man with a stock of books in his hands reels. The books of various sizes and colors fall out of his hands and thud to the floor. Castiel's mouth is opening and closing, emitting labored breaths. He looks like he's going to faint any second.

"Dean?" he croaks and makes a step forward.

The demon finally regains his composure and walks towards his human with shaking, unstable steps.

Without a word Dean falls down on his knees in front of Castiel, staring at him. His hands slowly reach up and rest on the brunet’s thighs.

"I've found you…" Dean's whisper is hoarse, barely distinguishable. "It took me so long to find you." The demon gulps loudly; it's getting hard for him to speak. "I've been chasing your shadow for five hundred and forty-two days but you've always been just ahead of me. There hasn't been a single day I have not cursed the skies up above for taking you from me. I would have gladly sold my soul so you could've been with me, by my side, in my arms. My life was worth nothing without you, when I could not feel your lips upon mine, your body under mine, writhing in sweet delirium, your voice moaning in my ears…" At this point tears are streaming down Dean's face. He closes his eyes, unable to look at his lover. "Tell me… just tell me that you have not forgotten me and that you still want me…" A broken sob escapes the demon's throat and he's too afraid to open his eyes and see the answer on Castiel's face.

He feels the movement, how his mate kneels too and takes his face into his gentle, loving hands. The human starts to plant kisses on his forehead, cheeks, nose, eyes and finally the lips. Encouraged by his lover's actions, Dean opens his eyes and he's met with teary blue eyes. Castiel is crying silently but smiling nevertheless.

"How… how could you have thought that I'd be able to forget about you? You are a fool, Dean Winchester!" His hands cup Dean's face gently, thumbs brushing over the demon's eyes, wiping the tears off.

This is the moment Dean loses it. He does not care that there are people around them, witnessing their reunion. He simply wraps his hands around Castiel and breaks down sobbing against his chest. The human is crooning something soothing in his ear and petting Dean's back gently, while his own tears fall on the demon's back.

It takes them a while to calm down and stand up. With awkward smiles on their faces, they face the audience, all of whom are still dumbstruck.

Balthazar is the first one to react. He's already standing by his brother's side and starts to applaud. Gabriel and Amir quickly join and shout their encouragements.

"I would like to make a toast." Balthazar raises his hand. "We witnessed a special moment between two people and I would like to wish them all the best. Please, come to the table."

Dean entwines his fingers with Castiel's and they walk towards the table together, where three smiling men are waiting for them.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise for bottom Dean lovers ;) Enjoy!

After spending some time in pleasant conversation, Gabriel offers his guests a chance to take a bath before they serve dinner. Amir politely declines, saying that he only bathes before going to sleep, while Dean and Castiel gladly accept it.

The bath house is located outside the Villa, in a separate building. It's smaller but the interior is as rich as the Villa's. There is a big pool in the middle, filled with warm water, the surface glittering invitingly as it awaits its guests. The temperature inside the bathhouse is nice, not too cold and not too hot either. There is a massage table near a back wall with a bowl of oil and some towels neatly folded.

As soon as Dean and Castiel walk into the bathhouse, the smaller man's back hits the nearest marble column with an "oompf" sound.

"Dean, what…" He's quickly shut up by his lover's mouth, which attacks Castiel's lips possessively, with fierce passion.

"Who was it?" Dean asks hoarsely, biting hard on the human's lip and making his mate grunt in surprise.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" The brunet yields to the demon's touches, tossing his head back, baring his neck for Dean's onslaught.

"The woman you mentioned before. Did you sleep with her?" The green-eyed creature's hands grope Castiel's flesh, igniting all of his nerves, while his tongue leaves wet marks on his lover's neck.

"Of course not… Have you lost your mind?" Castiel stares at the demon in disbelief; there are obvious signs of hurt in his blue eyes. "Do you think I slept around while we were apart?"

Castiel's words feel like ice water poured down on Dean and the demon freezes. He realizes how stupid he's acting, that he's ruining the perfect moment with unnecessary jealousy.

"I… I'm sorry, Cas. I just can't stand the thought of you being with someone other than me. And… and then you mentioned some woman…" Dean rubs his face, fidgeting and lowering his gaze. 

"Balthazar and I were arguing about a book. I translated a book for him from Arabian into Greek and we were arguing about a phrase one of the characters says. It was not a real woman. I have not been with anyone else, Dean. I've been faithful to you." Castiel swallows nervously and a bitter smile quivers on his lips.

"Fuck…" Dean grunts. "I'm sorry, Cas. I'm such an idiot. Please…" The demon cups his face with a pleading look on his face. "I've missed you so much. I thought I would go crazy without you. I've been searching for you for so long, I've almost forgotten how sweet your lips are, how perfect you feel in my arms." 

With trembling hands, Dean rips at Castiel's tunic and tugs on it, growling and hating the fabric with a passion for hiding the tanned skin underneath it. His beloved has changed during the time they've been apart: he's gained more muscle and his skin is tanned and more alluring than ever.

Castiel just keeps biting his lip, emitting small moans with his forehead pressed to Dean's shoulder and drawing abstract patterns on the demon's back. One of his hands travels down to the green-eyed creature's crotch, pressing to it and rubbing slowly, stealing a filthy moan from the demon.   
Dean quickly pulls his own shirt off, throwing it aside, giving full access to his body. Castiel just admires him with so much affection that Dean's heart starts to ache. The brunet plants kisses on the demon's face, moving down, conquering and marking every inch on his mate's body with sweet kisses, his hand still busy rubbing and teasing the demon's rock-hard member.

"Cas…" Dean lets out a strangled moan, bucks his hips under Castiel's careful but precise touches. "If you continue what you're doing, I'm going to come in my trousers, before I take you."

"What are you waiting for then?" Castiel whispers hoarsely into his ear, nibbling at Dean's earlobe. 

That's it for the demon and he grabs his lover, laying him on the floor near the pool. Thanks to all the unresolved sexual tension and pent up frustration, they just attack each other, tearing the remaining, and frankly annoying, clothes off. 

"Fuck…" Dean hisses when they're left naked and panting.

"Yes… That's the idea," Castiel pants under him, spreading his legs so Dean can place himself between them comfortably.

"You sneaky little thing." Dean huffs out a laugh, grabbing Castiel's wrists and holding them above his head.

"This world has affected my stamina and abilities. I may not last as long as usual and you may be left disappointed." Dean blushes a little, looking down at his lover and rolling his hips slowly.

"Shut up," Castiel laughs and wraps his legs around the demon's waist. "Believe me, I will not complain."

* * *

The human is so tight, like a virgin, when Dean sheathes fully inside of him. It's been so long and he kind of has forgotten how perfect his mate feels around him. They moan at the same time, loud and sincere. Castiel is grabbing Dean's shoulders while the demon holds his hips in a vice-like grip.

The blond knows that he won't last long but he wants to savor every second of this bliss. His thrusts are deliberately slow, taking pleasure in every movement. And Castiel is fine with it. He understands Dean's intentions and plays along. It's like they are learning each other's bodies all over again. Their lips crash, their fingers entwine, and bodies move together.

Castiel looks beautifully wrecked under the demon's weight. His eyes are bright and shining with overwhelming sensations and feelings, his hair is messier than usual, his kiss-swollen lips are parted and emitting shallow breaths. 

The demon feels his orgasm building up and speeds up, sliding into Castiel's pliant body with steady, faster, deeper thrusts. He keeps rocking into the smaller man's prostate every time, making his lover arch his back and whimper loudly. 

"Dean… ah… Dean, ah… ah…" Castiel moans, meeting the demon's thrusts and completely lost in pleasure.

"I'm right here, Cas. Let it go." The demon groans into his lover's mouth, kissing him with self oblivion and stroking the human's hard length, which is leaking threads of precum.

The brunet lets out one or two moans, shudders, and breaks beautifully underneath Dean's body with a silent scream in his throat. The sight is so mesmerizing that the demon finds his release after a few more erratic thrusts. His sharp cry echoes in the walls of the bathhouse, as the green-eyed creature falls down on Castiel utterly wrecked and empty. 

After some time that seems like ages, Castiel makes a strangled sound and Dean gets the hint: he moves aside, pulling out of his mate carefully. 

"We should get cleaned up. Let's take a bath and then I will give you a massage." Castiel caresses Dean's hair, staring at him warmly.

"Good idea." The demon nods and pulls him into a tight hug, burring his nose into his beloved's soft, fruit scented hair.

* * *

Sitting in the pool feels so nice and good that they don't crawl out for an hour. When they finally do, Castiel dries Dean with a big, white towel, guiding him towards the table.

"Lie down on this. I'll make you feel good, I promise." Castiel plants a short kiss on the demon's lips before Dean lies down on the table face down.

Castiel takes a bowl in his hands. It's filled with coconut oil and the smell is just delicious. He quickly pours some onto his hands, rubbing them together.

"Mmm Cas, it feels so good," the demon grunts when the brunet starts kneading his flesh with skilled, oiled fingers and palms. 

"Yes, I know." Castiel leans forward, kissing the blond between his shoulder blades. "It will get better soon."

And indeed he is right. The human's touches become bolder and determined. They slide down Dean's spine, pinching the skin, rubbing and kneading the demon's body, making him relax his tense muscles.

Dean's grunts of pleasure become louder and they sound so obscene that blood rushes and gathers into Castiel's crotch, making his cock hard.

He shifts uncomfortably when it comes into contact with a towel around his waist, but does not stop massaging his mate's back.

"I… I need to take your towel off," Castiel says with a hoarse voice and, without waiting for an answer, yanks Dean's towel off. 

He just devours his beloved's naked body with his eyes, splayed out in front of him. The demon looks so seductive and inviting that inappropriate thoughts start to cloud Castiel's mind. 

"Dean, do you trust me?" he asks the demon, his heart thudding frantically against his ribcage. 

"Of course I do." There are surprised notes in the green-eyed creature's voice as he turns his head to look at the human.

"I want to do something and I think you will enjoy it," Castiel says and dips his fingers into the bowl.

Dean makes a loud whimper and digs his fingernails into the table's surface when Castiel spreads his cheeks apart and licks him.

"Oh… oh… Cas... what are you doing?" He moans shakily into the small pillow, panting with his eyes wide open.

"Don't talk, Dean, just enjoy," Castiel murmurs and slides his tongue over the tight ring of muscles, which he is sure has never been touched like this before. And his guess is correct when Dean curses and jolts up. 

"Fuck, Cas…" The demon is a trembling mess under the human's touches. 

"Tell me if you don't like it and I will stop."

"No!" Dean shouts and shudders, when Castiel pushes his tongue in and the demon can't help but whine at the sensation. The human continues to lick, suck, and thrust his tongue at his mate's hole.

Dean can't help himself and stands on all fours, ass up in the air and rocking down on Castiel's tongue. He feels like exploding from intense sensations that are seizing his body. Pleas and whimpers pass through his lips, though Castiel is not listening – he keeps swirling his tongue, lapping and kissing the puckered skin.

"I'm going to take you, Dean, and you will not stop me." Castiel leans forward and whispers into his beloved's ear. "On the contrary, you will beg me not to stop." 

The blond starts babbling nonsense, incoherent sounds streaming out of his mouth, when Castiel's finger enters him gingerly, joined by two more digits shortly after.

"You don't know what you've been missing, Dean. You have always made me feel these sweet, delirious sensations and I want you to feel the same, I want you to know what I feel when you make love to me."

Castiel drags and moves his fingers inside Dean slowly, with a precise rhythm, trying to find that secret spot and when the demon makes a sound between a moan and a sob, he knows he's found it. The human smiles cheekily and rubs the bundle of nerves ruthlessly.

"Cas… please… don't torture me," Dean all but sobs, reaching his hand back, grabbing and squeezing Castiel's thigh.

"As you wish," the brunet murmurs softly, planting a kiss at the demon's nape, and slicks his erect cock with the coconut oil...

Dean howls in pleasure when Castiel enters and bottoms out. The demon's head is thrown back, body shaking and sweating. The human moans in satisfaction, feeling how hot and tight, perfectly fitting his beloved is around him.

"Cas… oh… oh… fuck… Cas… move, damn it!" Dean tries to fuck down on the human's cock, urging him to move.

That's all he needs to hear and Castiel starts to move. He sets up a fast, rough speed, knowing that Dean can take it and that this is exactly how the demon would like it. The human's fingers dig into his mate's hips, leaving marks that will probably turn into bruises, while slamming into Dean. Sweat covers Castiel's forehead, and his muscles tense as he moves in a steady rhythm, which keeps the demon mewling and whimpering, asking for more.

"Yes… fuck, Cas… oh… oh fuuck… yes… yesss… right there! Don't stop… Don't you dare stop, Cas… Oh, fuck me…" The blond does not give a damn anymore that he sounds like a bitch in heat. He keeps rocking together with Castiel, biting his lips and moaning lewdly and shamelessly loud. 

"So needy," the brunet chuckles and rams into Dean's prostate one more time. One of his hands closes around the demon's cock, jerking him fast. 

Dean's knees buckle and he feels tightness in his balls, heat rising up in his abdomen, obvious signs of an approaching orgasm. 

"I'm close, Cas," he whines and turns his head around to catch Castiel's lips in a heated kiss.

"I know. Me too," the brunet moans into his mouth, hammering into the demon with all his remaining strength. "I've thought about doing this for a long time. I wanted to feel you around me, feel your tight, hot inner walls envelope my aching cock, while I'd be sliding into you, bringing you searing pleasure." Castiel bites down on Dean's shoulder, fist still pumping the demon's erection slicked with precum and oil. 

Dean wants to say something in reply but instead he arches up and clenches around the brunet’s cock so hard that the human yelps. The green-eyed creature just shivers violently and comes hard with a scream ripping out of his lungs. 

The demon's muscles spasming around his member is more than enough and Castiel shoots his release deep inside his beloved with a moan.

After some time the blue-eyed man finds himself lying on top of Dean, with his nose buried in the demon's hair. He quickly moves aside and the blond rolls onto his back, facing the human with hazy eyes.

"What is it, Cas?" he asks drowsily, eyes half closed.

"I claimed your lovely, though 'not virgin anymore' ass as mine," Castiel grins at the demon and snuggles closer, not minding the mess they're lying in.

Dean just gapes at his beloved for a second, considering the words he's just said, and then bursts into laughter. "Seems fair."

They fall into a short silence, catching their breaths and kissing lazily with slow swipes of their tongues and tender bites. They do not care that the noise they've been making could've reached the people inside the villa. They are in each other's arms and everything is perfect.


	42. Chapter 42

In the morning, after they have breakfast and before Dean and Castiel return to their world, the Angelopoulos brothers give them some gifts. Castiel receives a rare copy of the book called The Iliad written by a Greek poet named Homer. It has a gilded cover with beautiful ornamentation on it, and has become the young man’s favorite book during his stay at the villa. As for Dean, he receives a fine sword, made by a famous smith in Constantinople. 

"Um… I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you," Dean says apologetically, but the hosts wave him off, telling him to not worry about it.

Amir fidgets nervously nearby and it draws the demon's attention. "Are you alright?" he asks the Arab.

The merchant sighs in defeat. His conscience has been tormenting him for days for not telling Dean that it was him who sold Castiel to the brothers.

"Dean, I need to tell you something and you will probably hate me for this." The Arab lowers his gaze.

"Amir, you've become a good friend of mine. There is nothing that would make me hate you. What is it? Tell me." The demon places his hand on the merchant's shoulder, squeezing it encouragingly. 

"It's about Castiel," Amir mumbles. "It's just that… It was I… It was I who…" He stutters and grabs the end of his woven belt.

"It was you who sold him to Balthazar and Gabriel," Dean finishes for him. "I know."

"What?" Amir's head snaps up. "How do you know?"

"I'm not stupid. I guessed it right from the beginning. And I'm not angry at you. You didn't know who he was and you just did what you usually do. You are a merchant and you sell goods. And I'm glad you sold him to the brothers. If not for them no one knows where he would be right now." Dean pats him on the shoulder.

"So you forgive me?" Amir's eyes well up with tears. 

"Yes, I do. And don't start crying now," Dean chuckles. But it's too late, as the merchant breaks down in tears.

"Castiel, I am so sorry! Please forgive me!"

It takes them some time to calm the merchant down and only after that do they go outside, into the garden.

Dean is wrapping his hand around Castiel's waist tightly, as if afraid some force will take him away from him again.

"Will we ever see you again?" Gabriel asks with obvious sorrow in his voice.

"Of course," Dean says with a nod. "I have the amulet, remember?" 

"You know," Castiel cuts in. "You could visit us too if you'd like. We could take you to our world and you'd see what it looks like. Balthazar would love it. He would have so much material for the book he wants to write." The brunet smiles gently.

"That's a great idea, indeed! Next time you visit us, I'm definitely coming with you!" Balthazar exclaims, excited.

The demon addresses the small group of people. "Well, I guess this is it then. 'Til next time!"

After bittersweet goodbyes and warm hugs, Dean takes out the amulet, draws a circle and reads the spell.

As the earth opens up and freezing cold erupts with a deafening roaring, three men look on in fright and awe when Dean picks up the brunet, steps into the circle and smiles at them before vanishing into the darkness.

* * *

"Cas, I think you broke all of my bones," Dean grunts under the human, who's plastered over him. The landing had been rough.

"My apologies," the blue-eyed man mutters and crawls to the side. They stand up with some effort and look around. They are in the familiar forest.

"Home sweet home." The demon inhales deeply. "I missed this place so much."

"I need to go home and see my parents. So much time has passed. I don't think they expect to see me alive." Castiel turns to his mate. "And you are coming with me!"

"But… but…" Dean starts protesting only to be quieted by the human.

"No buts, Dean. You are coming with me. End of story."

The demon just shrugs and follows his beloved, who's already walking fast towards the village.

It's been almost two years since Castiel's disappearance, but the village has not changed that much. The only change is that there are no protecting wards against demons and no guards at the gates. What's strange is that they do not meet a lot of people on their way. Just little children playing in soil and a few barking dogs jumping around them.

Castiel's heartbeat quickens as he sees his house and he almost runs the remaining few feet. Just a few more seconds and he will see his parents, whom he's missed so much! Dean tries to catch up with his mate, sweating nervously as he remembers the sins from his past.

"Cas, I… I will wait outside," the demon mumbles when they reach the door of the house. 

The brunet is not paying full attention to Dean’s words, so he nods hurriedly and pushes the door open. He's met with silence, but then something delicious hits his nostrils, making him salivate. It smells of the freshly baked cinnamon rolls his mother used to bake. 

The young man stands still, heart pounding heavily and hands shaking uncontrollably, when something crushes to his feet with a loud whine and whimpers. Castiel looks down and he's met with an overexcited Snowball. The dog looks so happy and vigorous that the brunet fears for the dog's sanity. Snowball just keeps barking, whining, and scratching at his trousers, waggling his tail nonstop.

"Hello there, you little bastard," Castiel says fondly, picking up the dog, who instantly starts to lick his face.  
The noise draws someone's attention in the house and the door of the kitchen opens, letting a middle-aged woman in. 

"Mother…" Castiel whispers and lets Snowball down on the floor.

Brita screams in surprise, a jar full of milk falling out of her hands and shattering on the floor. The woman's mouth hangs open, unable to say a word. Finally she comes out of her stupor, making cautious steps towards her son. 

"Castiel, my son… Is that you?" Brita's voice quivers, all the pent up desperation, sorrow, and pain pouring out of her in hot tears.

"Yes, mother. It's me. I have returned." Castiel hugs her tightly, resting his chin on her head and kissing the woman's now graying hair.

"Two years… Almost two years you went missing," Brita sobs, wrapping her arms around her son. "Where were you, Castiel?"

"It's a long story, mother. I will tell you everything when father returns. By the way, where is he? I presume he is with Gunar." The young man chuckles, placing a kiss on Brita's forehead.

"You are still beautiful. Oh, I want you to meet someone, mother." Castiel breaks the embrace and walks towards the door, not noticing Brita's pained expression.

"Dean, where are you hiding? Come here!" Castiel hisses as he walks outside, searching for his lover.

"I'm not hiding," the demon mutters under his breath and walks from behind the nearby tree. "What is it?"

"I want you to meet my mother."

"What?" Dean asks sharply, startled. "I… I don't think it's a good idea." The green-eyed creature starts to sweat and gulps nervously.

"Are you… are you afraid of her?" Castiel laughs and squints his eyes, studying his mate’s face. He knows Dean perfectly well and knows when the demon is lying.

"What? Of course not!" The older Winchester refuses too soon.

"Come on, Dean. She doesn't bite. Come with me." Castiel reaches his hand out and grabs Dean's wrist, gently tugging him towards the door. The demon follows him reluctantly, like a goat led to slaughter.

"Mother, I want you to meet Dean. He is…" Castiel never finishes as Brita lets out of a deafening scream and pushes her son aside, grabbing the demon by his shirt and slamming him against a wall.

"You…" she hisses into the frightened creature’s face. "How dare you come into my house?"

"I… I…" Dean does not know what to say. His gaze slides towards Castiel. "Help me…" he whispers and it sounds and looks so hilarious that the human can't control his hysterical laughter.

"Mother, please let him go. He's harmless!" The brunet steps towards the fighters. Though, it looks like Dean is more a victim than a fighter in this situation.

"Harmless?" Brita snarls. "It was him who tried to kill you and me twenty years ago!" 

"Mother, please," Castiel says soothingly, touching the woman's hand, which is still around Dean's throat. “When I went missing, Dean was the one who tried to find and return me to our lands. Alastair had sent me to another world and century and Dean was trying to find me for five hundred and forty-two days. It's because of him that you can see me in front of you right now. He has redeemed himself. And there is one more thing." Castiel shifts awkwardly, staring at his mother somewhat pleadingly. "We love each other."

There is dead silence in the house. Brita lets go of her grip on Dean's throat and steps back. The demon is too startled to say anything and only licks his dried lips nervously.

"I see," Brita says quietly. Her voice does not reveal any emotions and it's hard to understand what she thinks. Suddenly she swings her hand and slaps the demon across his face.

"This is for trying to kill my child," she says firmly. "And this is for trying to kill me." She slaps him hard on the other cheek. Dean just stands there looking miserable. Yes, it's true when people say mothers are the most dangerous creatures in the world and gods forbid if someone tries to harm their children! Well, Dean can definitely confirm this theory from his recent bitter experience.

"And this is for saving and bringing back my child. Thank you!" Brita says suddenly and hugs the demon, who has no idea what's going on anymore. "Take a seat at the table. Let's eat something, while you tell me the whole story." Brita smooths her hair and walks towards the kitchen.

Castiel laughs when he looks at his lover. Dean has red handprints on both of his cheeks. 

"You look like a pretty, blushing maiden," he jokes and the demon gives him a glare.

"I'll get you for that remark," Dean growls warningly. 

"Mmm, can't wait," the brunet waggles his eyebrows mischievously.

Brita returns with plates and starts to set the table for three people. She puts bread, cheese, cinnamon rolls, butter, and a new jar of milk in the middle of the table. 

"What about father? Won't we wait for his return?" Castel asks, surprised.

"No. He… he may be back late at night. He's not here," Brita says with a small smile, avoiding her son's gaze, but she can't trick Dean. Something is not right, but the demon decides to keep quiet. 

As they eat, Castiel tells his story from the beginning, how he and Dean met, how they fell in love, about their separation and the time spent apart, how the demon found and returned him to the place where they belong. Brita listens attentively to every detail and nods. 

"Your father and Gunar would be so happy to see you right now. Too bad they can't," Brita says with a shaking voice.

Castiel stops chewing and stares at her, doubts already filling his mind. "What are you talking about, mother? Where are they? What happened while I was gone?" The young man’s voice gets louder with every word.

"Your father couldn't endure your disappearance and he fell ill. We did everything that we could, but he just gave up. He died four months ago." Brita chokes a sob. "As for Gunar, he was petrified from his great losses, first you, then his blood brother. He got very drunk one night and walked into the forest without a weapon. He was found dead, with his throat slit next morning. Wolves had attacked and ripped him to shreds." Brita is crying now, not trying to stop tears. "We buried them side by side, like the loyal, great friends and brothers they were in this life."

Castiel's stomach twists and churns, he feels nauseous. He feels like screaming and breaking everything around him. And it's too bad that he can't. Dean feels his excruciating pain and emotions, and he slides his hand under the table and squeezes the brunet's hand gently. 

"What about Dagni and her family?" Castiel croaks, fighting the urge to sob.

"She is doing well, as are her husband and children. She comes every day to check my health and see if I need anything." Brita wipes the tears off of her face.

"I will do the same," Castiel whispers. "I will come to see you every day, I promise." He takes her hand and kisses the woman's palm lovingly.

"You'd better keep your promise." The woman smiles at him. "And Dean, you'd better look after my son, or I will find and strangle you. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, yes, I hear you." The demon nods hurriedly, fearing another slap. 

* * *

Castiel bids his goodbye and promises to see her soon as he holds his mother in an embrace. The woman nods and gives him her blessings. 

The young man lets out a shuddering breath as the door closes behind him. "I need to see my father’s and Gunar's graves."

"Of course." Dean nods. "Let's go."

The graves are under an old oak tree, where Castiel had loved to play in his childhood. Dean stops behind as his lover walks towards the graves, with piles of rocks on top of them. 

The demon can hear muffled sobs and words asking for forgiveness uttered by kneeling Castiel, who's caressing the graves and blaming himself for their deaths.

Dean wants to go and comfort his lover, but he does not want to interrupt a private moment, so he's forced to stay behind and wait 'til Castiel returns.

After a while the young man stands up and walks back to the demon. His eyes are swollen and red.

"Please don't blame yourself." Dean hugs him and caresses his mate’s back. "I am sure they are looking at you now and are happy that you are safe."

Castiel sniffles against the demon's chest. It's so good that he's not alone. "I hope so. I really hope so, Dean."

"Come on, Cas. I want to take you to my home. Show you were I live. Show you the place which will be your home too." 

* * *

As they enter the forest, they're met with loud and excited neighing. It's Impala! The horse looks ecstatic, shaking her head and prancing. 

"Baby!" Dean exclaims merrily and runs forward to hug the beast. "Oh, how I missed you, sweetheart!" 

Impala just nickers and snorts, swinging her tail energetically, trying her best to show how much she has missed her master too. 

"I know, baby. I know. I love you too!" Dean kisses her forehead and caresses the horse.

"How did she know that you were here?" Castiel asks, surprised, scratching the horse between her ears.

"We have a special bond. We grew up together. That's why she feels my presence," Dean explains. "Now, time to go home. Get on the horse, Princess." The demon giggles.

Castiel just rolls his eyes, but obeys and mounts Impala. The older Winchester hurriedly takes his seat behind the human and smacks Impala on the rump. "Go, darling. We're going home!"

* * *

To say that the younger Winchester was happy to see his brother and Castiel alive would've been an understatement. Sam hadn't been able to stop laughing and crying for a long time, until Dean threatened to leave the fortress if his brother didn't stop acting like a girl.

"Impala was acting strange today. She was so anxious and fidgety. But I didn't pay too much attention to it, as she had acted like this a few times before too," Sam begins. "I never thought that it would mean your return. And you did not try to contact me when you returned! Idiot!" Sam punches his older brother in the shoulder.

"What can I say? I wanted to surprise you, Sammy," Dean grins. "Do we have anything to eat? I feel like I'm going to devour a whole horse!"

"But we just ate an hour ago," Castiel asks, bewildered. 

"Correction, Cas," Dean says, raising his finger. "YOU ate an hour ago. I was afraid to eat, not knowing what to expect from your mother."

"Wait, you met Castiel's mother?" Sam's eyes grow wide like saucers.

"Yes he did, Sam. And I wish you could have seen how scared he was of her." Castiel laughs and Sam joins.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! Two against one?" Dean sulks. "Alright. Go ahead, mock me as much as you want. Have fun!" he grumbles and goes to find some food to eat. 

Sam and Castiel are still snickering when the younger Winchester wraps his arm around the human's shoulders amicably.

"While Dean is still brooding and grumbling, come on, I will show you around. But you have to tell me everything, in detail." 

Their laughter echoes in the walls of the fortress as Castiel tells the younger Winchester the story of how his mother beat Dean up.

* * *

_ Three days later _

Castiel wakes up to the feeling of someone kissing his nose, cheeks, and eyes gently. He opens his eyes and is met with two emeralds shining at him with so much love and affection that the human's heart swells.

"Dean," he murmurs and slides his fingers through the demon's short, blond hair. "What's the matter?" 

"Nothing, Cas. I just like to watch over you while you sleep." The demon plants a chaste kiss on the human's lips. "You look beautiful."

Castiel chuckles. "It will not always stay that way."

"What do you mean?" Dean asks with a frown, not understanding what the human is talking about.

Castiel sighs. "What about when I get old? When my face and body get covered in deep wrinkles, when my teeth and hair start to fall out? When I won't be able to walk effortlessly? When I won't be able to hold a spoon to eat my soup? What about then? Will you still love me?" 

Dean stares at the human wordlessly. Then he cups Castiel's cheek, brushing his thumb over his mate’s cheekbone. "You think I fell in love with you because of your looks? It was your soul that kept me attracted to you. You were like a diamond shimmering in the dust. You've always been different, unlike other people I've ever met. And as for your question, yes, I will still love you, Cas. Until death and beyond." 

The demon flips the human over so he could lie on top of Dean. The smaller man catches his face, showering it with sweet kisses. Dean just hums happily, wrapping his arms around the younger man more tightly.

"I just remembered something. Tell me the truth." Castiel grins mischievously, playing with the demon's hair.

"Hm? What did you recall?" Dean asks, half asleep. 

"Remember, at our meeting, Impala told you something and you said that maybe one day you would tell me what it was. Don't you think the day has come?" The human grins widely.

"Hah, how do you remember that?" Dean chuckles and shakes his head in disbelief.

"What can I say? I have a good memory. Come on, tell me," Castiel laughs, kissing and nibbling at his lover's bottom lip.

"Alright, alright," The demon raises his hands in defeat. "She told me that we would fall in love and eventually bond."

Castiel throws his head back and laughs. "She is such a clever horse. Sometimes cleverer than you." The human sticks his tongue out at the demon.

"Hey!" Dean raises his finger warningly. "I have not forgotten your 'pretty, blushing maiden' remark and I am still thinking of a suitable punishment."

"Before you think of the punishment, maybe we could engage in some pleasant activities?" Castiel purrs into the green-eyed creature’s ear and grinds down, making Dean grunt in pleasure.

"Definitely a good idea." Winchester moans as the brunet’s lean fingers stroke his flesh. He flips them over one more time and parts Castiel's legs to settle between them.

Castiel hums his agreement, crashing their lips in a heated kiss. "I have more exciting ideas that we could try later."

Dean just laughs happily, wrapping his beloved’s legs around his waist more tightly and leans forward. "Oh yes, we have all the time in the world."

 

****_When love beckons to you, follow him,  
Though his ways are hard and steep.  
And when his wings enfold you yield to him…_

**_(Kahlil Gibran)_ **

 

The End

 

 *******  

I am starting a new multi chapter fic called  **Under The Falling Skies**. Please read and review when I start posting the chapters. Here is a short excerpt:

"So, Dean." The king clears his throat, looking at the barbarian who's eating a chicken's leg and scratching his belly with a contented face. "To end this conflict, I am offering you one of my daughters in marriage, so we can become allies and good friends. Choose whichever you want." The king gestures to his three daughters, all maidens of rare beauty.

Dean belches loudly and pats his belly, causing loud laughter among his warriors. He takes a good look at the princesses, shifting his gaze from one to the other.

"I appreciate your offer, King Uldred, and I will accept it. Though I don't want any of your daughters." Dean grins widely.

The king frowns. "I don't understand."

"I want him." Dean points at the young prince with his gnawed chicken's leg. "I'll have Castiel."

 

 

 

 

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Time Troubles](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2243721) by [Galadwen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galadwen/pseuds/Galadwen)




End file.
